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Encyclopedia of Astrobiology pp 1Cite as

S-Process

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Definition

The s-process is one of the two main nucleosynthesis processes forming nuclei heavier than those of the iron peak. Neutron captures are slower than beta-decays (hence the s, for slow), keeping the flow of matter on the nuclear stability valley. The s-process occurs during helium fusion in stars, neutrons being released through 13C(α, n) or 22Ne(α, n), on timescales of 104 years. The latter reaction operates in the cores of massive stars and produces the light s-nuclei (with mass number A <90, like Sr), while the former operates during shell He burning in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars and produces the heavier s-nuclei (up to 208Pb).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut d’Astrophysique de Paris, 98bis Bd Arago, 75014, Paris, France

    Nikos Prantzos

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  1. Nikos Prantzos
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Correspondence to Nikos Prantzos .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Biología Molecular, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

    Ricardo Amils

  2. Labo. d'Astrophysique de Bordeaux (LAB), Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers (OASU), Floirac CX, France

    Muriel Gargaud

  3. Centro de Astrobiología (CAB), Inst. Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial, Torrejón de Ardoz, Madrid, Spain

    José Cernicharo Quintanilla

  4. Geophysical Lab., Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, District of Columbia, USA

    Henderson James Cleaves

  5. Astronomy Department, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA

    William M. Irvine

  6. Dépt. Sc. de la Terre et de l’Atmosphère, Université du Québec, Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Daniele Pinti

  7. Centre National d'Etudes Spatiale (CNES) DPI/E2U, Paris CX, France

    Michel Viso

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© 2014 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Prantzos, N. (2014). S-Process. In: Amils, R., et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1497-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1497-4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-27833-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Physics and AstronomyReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Chemistry, Materials and Physics

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