Neutrino-Inducedr-Process Nucleosynthesis

Abstract
We propose that the r-process elements may be synthesized in the helium zones surrounding a newly forming neutron star. Neutrinos released from a cooling neutron star produce neutrons (and other nuclides) by neutral-current excitations of He4. If the neutron-star progenitor is metal-poor, compact, or both, the flux of free neutrons is sufficiently intense and of long enough duration to generate an r process.