[mesa-users] beta decays and electron captures

[Kelly Patton]

Hi-

I’m working on a project that’s attempting to calculate neutrino spectra
from various processes in the late stages of a large star’s evolution.
Right now, I’m trying to work out some of the finer points of beta
decay/electron capture.  This brings me to my questions.

I know MESA calculates the energy output from these nuclear reactions, and
I’m wondering how and where the Q-values for the beta decay and electron
capture reactions are defined in MESA.  Are all possible initial and final
states accounted for separately, or is there some kind of effective Q value
(eg. Langanke and Martinez-Pinedo arXiv:nucl-th/0101039v1 defines an
effective Q value as one that accurately reproduces the average neutrino
energy)?

I’ve read a few papers that disregard beta decays altogether and only worry
about the electron/positron captures (that same Langanke and
Martinez-Pinedo paper). Does MESA calculate both decay and capture?

Any help or clarification would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Kelly Patton
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