S-process nucleosynthesis in low mass AGB Stars: do we really need an improved determination of the 13C(α, n)16O reaction rate? Original Research Article

Thermally pulsing Asymptotic Giant Branch stars are responsible for the nucleosynthesis of the main component of the cosmic s-elements. The most important neutron source is the 13C(α, n)16O reaction. Owing to the presence of a subthreshold resonance, the low energy extrapolation is a rather complex task. The rate quoted in the literature differ up to a factor of 4 at typical stellar energies. The latest improvements in computer power allows us to calculate the evolution of TP-AGB stars coupled with a full nuclear network, extending from hydrogen to lead. Here we discuss the effects of the variation of the 13C(α, n)16O rate on the predicted neutron capture nucleosynthesis.