The structure and the size of the core of massive presupernova stars are determined by the electron fraction and entropy of the core during its late stages of evolution; these in turn affect the subsequent evolution during gravitational collapse and supernova explosion phases. Beta decay and electron capture on a number of neutron rich nuclei can contribute substantially towards the reduction of the entropy and possibly the electron fraction in the core. Methods for calculating the weak transition rates for a number of nuclei for which no reliable rates exist (particularly for A > 60) are outlined. The calculations are particularly suited for presupernova matter density (ρ = 107 − 109 g/cc) and temperature (T = 2 − 6 × 109 °K). We include besides the contributions from the ground state and the known excited states, the Gamow-Teller (GT) resonance states (e.g. for beta decay rates, the GT+ states) in the mother nucleus which are populated thermally. For the GT strength function for transitions from the ground state (as well as excited states) we use a sum rule calculated by the spectral distribution method where the centroid of the distribution is obtained from experimental data on (p,n) reactions. The contribution of the excited levels and GT+ resonances turn out to be important at high temperatures which may prevail in presupernova stellar cores.

Presupernova Evolution of Massive Stars

Beta decay (β−) and electron (e−) capture of neutron rich nuclei play important roles in determining presupernova core structure (Nomoto et al, 1991).