Primary astrophysical site(s) of the r-process nucleosynthesis

Determine the primary astrophysical site(s) responsible for rapid neutron-capture (r-process) nucleosynthesis that produces many elements heavier than zinc, in order to resolve its role in Galactic chemical enrichment and evolution.

Background

The paper surveys the status of r-process element observations in the Milky Way and beyond, noting that while r-process elements are widely detected, the actual stellar or explosive environments where the r-process occurs remain undetermined.

Identifying the dominant production site(s) is crucial for interpreting the chemical evolution of the Galaxy and for connecting abundance patterns in metal-poor stars to specific astrophysical events.