An iterative method for simultaneously computing the synthesis of light and heavy elements

We propose an iterative algorithm for computing the synthesis of heavy elem ents through the rapid capture of neutrons (r-process) and, at sufficiently high temperatures, protons by simultaneously using two distinct computer c odes. One of the codes describes the kinetics of nuclear reactions between light and intermediate chemical elements, which are the source of free neut rons and protons used by the second code to synthesize heavy elements from seed nuclides (isotopes near the iron peak of the cosmic abundance curve). The two codes interact through the neutron and proton reaction channels. We demonstrate the efficiency of our method with an example of the nucleosynt hesis in a supernova's helium shell triggered by the evaporation of neutron s and protons from a particles exposed to the neutrino flux from a collapsi ng stellar core. In this case, three or four iterations are enough to obtai n an almost exact self-consistent solution. (C) 2001 MAIK "Nauka/Interperio dica".