Proto-Neutron Star Convection and the Neutrino-Driven Wind: Implications for the r-Process

Understand

The neutrino-driven wind from proto-neutron stars is a proposed site for r-process nucleosynthesis, although most previous work has found that a wind heated only by neutrinos cannot produce the third r-process peak.

• However, several groups have noted that introducing a secondary heating source within the wind can change the hydrodynamic conditions sufficiently for a strong r-process to proceed.
• One possible secondary heating source is gravito-acoustic waves, generated by convection inside the proto-neutron star.
• As these waves propagate into the wind, they can both accelerate the wind and shock and deposit energy into the wind.