Accretion disc

Nucleosynthesis

Artificial intelligence

Physics

Supernova

Instability

Mechanics

Astronomy

Accretion (finance)

Astrophysics

Ejecta

Stars

Neutrino

Computer science

r-process

Variety (cybernetics)

Neutron star

Nuclear physics

Physical review. D/Physical review. D.

Neutron star mergers are of tremendous astrophysical interest for a variety of reasons that include their role in initiating r-process nucleosynthesis in their ejecta. In this article, the authors tackle the complex influence of extremely rapid neutrino flavor conversion (fast flavor instability - FFI) on ejecta from accretion disks around hypermassive neutron stars (HMNSs) formed in mergers. By studying a wide variety of scenarios, the authors detail the influence of FFI and show that it depends strongly on the lifetime of the HMNS.

Fast flavor instability in hypermassive neutron star disk outflows