The Rapid Proton Process Ashes from Stable Nuclear Burning on an Accreting Neutron Star
The Rapid Proton Process Ashes from Stable Nuclear Burning on an Accreting Neutron Star
The temperature and nuclear composition of the crust and ocean of an accreting neutron star depend on the mix of material (the ashes) that is produced at lower densities by fusion of the accreting hydrogen and helium. The hydrogen/helium burning is thermally stable at high accretion rates, a situation encountered …