ASTRO In the literature: contested

Can neutron-star mergers explain r-process elements in the oldest stars?

In plain words

Some very old stars already contain r-process elements, yet merging neutron stars need time to spiral together.

Precise statement

Determine whether merger delay-time distributions (minimum ~10 Myr, $\mathrm{d}N/\mathrm{d}t \sim t^{-1}$) with natal kicks and inhomogeneous mixing reproduce r-process enrichment in ultra-faint dwarf galaxies such as Reticulum II and the decline of $[\mathrm{Eu}/\mathrm{Fe}]$ at $[\mathrm{Fe}/\mathrm{H}] > -1$ in the Galactic disk, or whether a prompt source is required. Answer: yes or no from galactic chemical evolution models.

What would settle it

Chemical-evolution models with measured delay times and kicks fit to large samples of Eu abundances in dwarf galaxies and the disk, with and without a prompt source.

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