[mesa-users] Ni56

[Bill Paxton]

Hi Dave,

On Oct 23, 2013, at 11:58 AM, David Arnett wrote:

> This is an error in implementing nuclear physics; Ni56 decays in the lab by electron capture. It also decays in supernovae which we know because we see the decay powering the radioactive tail of the light curve. At higher density there are more electrons, so in  a degenerate situation you will have a faster rate of conversion of Ni56 to Co56 which depends on the electron fermi energy. It is easy to work out (following Bahcall, I did this for Ni56 long ago). Exactly what T,rho,Ye conditions  are you considering? Most likely you should have Fe56 because Ni56->Co56->Fe56 is likely to happen faster than the star evolves.
> Dave

Thanks -- it makes sense that there would be a degeneracy effect.  I'm looking at a case where Ye = 0.5 still, and logT < 8, logRho < 2.  

-Bill