The existence of neutron star mergers has been supported since the discovery of the binary pulsar and the observation of its orbital energy loss, consistent with General Relativity. They are considered nucleosynthesis sites of the rapid neutron-capture process (r-process), which is responsible for creating approximately half of all heavy elements beyond Fe and is the only source of elements beyond Pb and Bi. Detailed nucleosynthesis calculations based on the decompression of neutron star matter are consistent with solar r-process abundances of heavy nuclei. Neutron star mergers have also been identified with short-duration -ray bursts via their IR afterglow. The high neutron densities in ejected matter permit a violent r-process, leading to fission cycling of the heaviest nuclei in regions far from (nuclear) stability. Uncertainties in several nuclear properties affect the abundance distributions. The modeling of astrophysical events also depends on the hydrodynamic treatment, the occurrence of a neutrino...

中文翻译：

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中子星合并和重元素的核合成

自从发现双脉冲星并观察到它的轨道能量损失后，中子星合并的存在就得到了支持，这与广义相对论是一致的。它们被认为是快速中子俘获过程 (r-process) 的核合成位点，该过程负责产生除 Fe 之外的所有重元素的大约一半，并且是除 Pb 和 Bi 之外的元素的唯一来源。基于中子星物质减压的详细核合成计算与重核的太阳 r 过程丰度一致。中子星合并也通过它们的红外余辉发现了短持续时间的射线爆发。喷射物质中的高中子密度允许剧烈的 r 过程，导致远离（核）稳定性的区域中最重核的裂变循环。几种核特性的不确定性会影响丰度分布。天体物理事件的建模还取决于流体动力学处理、中微子的发生……