On the superbursts as photodisintegrators of ashes from the rp-process -- Numerical simulations of superbursts with MESA II
Abstract
Context: Superbursts are energetic explosions in the crusts of neutron stars in Low-Mass X-ray Binaries (LMXBs). At temperatures above 4 GK, photodisintegration of heavy rp-process ashes may play a major role alongside 12C fusion. Aims: We investigate how photodisintegration of rp-process ashes affects superburst properties and the initial 12C abundance required for ignition. Methods: We simulate superbursts with MESA v.24.08.1. Besides the canonical fuel of 20% 12C and 80% 56Fe, we test different 12C abundances mixed with scaled rp-process ashes. Results: Superbursts can ignite with only 10% 12C when the remaining 90% consists of rp-process ashes. Their luminosity is comparable to that of the canonical fuel, whereas 10% 12C mixed with 90% 56Fe yields lower luminosity. 56Fe remains the most abundant ash nuclide. Although photodisintegration drives nucleosynthesis, neutron, proton and alpha captures release energy at late times. We also find that A=64 nuclides or 20Ne help reduce the 12C abundance needed for ignition. Conclusions: The composition of accreted material - not just its 12C content - substantially affects superburst ignition, luminosity and nucleosynthesis.
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BibTeX
@misc{navacallejas2026superbursts,
title = {{On the superbursts as photodisintegrators of ashes from the rp-process -- Numerical simulations of superbursts with MESA II}},
author = {M. Nava-Callejas and S. Goriely and N. Chamel},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.28049},
eprint = {2610.28049},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.28049},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - On the superbursts as photodisintegrators of ashes from the rp-process -- Numerical simulations of superbursts with MESA II
AU - M. Nava-Callejas
AU - S. Goriely
AU - N. Chamel
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/20
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.28049
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.28049
AB - Context: Superbursts are energetic explosions in the crusts of neutron stars in Low-Mass X-ray Binaries (LMXBs). At temperatures above 4 GK, photodisintegration of heavy rp-process ashes may play a major role alongside ^12C fusion. Aims: We investigate how photodisintegration of rp-process ashes affects superburst properties and the initial ^12C abundance required for ignition. Methods: We simulate superbursts with MESA v.24.08.1. Besides the canonical fuel of 20% ^12C and 80% ^56Fe, we test different ^12C abundances mixed with scaled rp-process ashes. Results: Superbursts can ignite with only 10% ^12C when the remaining 90% consists of rp-process ashes. Their luminosity is comparable to that of the canonical fuel, whereas 10% ^12C mixed with 90% ^56Fe yields lower luminosity. ^56Fe remains the most abundant ash nuclide. Although photodisintegration drives nucleosynthesis, neutron, proton and alpha captures release energy at late times. We also find that A=64 nuclides or ^20Ne help reduce the ^12C abundance needed for ignition. Conclusions: The composition of accreted material - not just its ^12C content - substantially affects superburst ignition, luminosity and nucleosynthesis.
ER -