Extracting the rp-process from X-ray burst light curves

The light curves of type I X-ray bursts (XRBs) result from energy released from the atmosphere of a neutron star when accreted hydrogen and helium ignite and burn ex-plosively via the rp -process. Since charged particle reaction rates are both density and very temperature dependent, a simulation model must provide accurate values of these variables to predict the reaction flow. This paper uses a self-consistent one-dimensional model calculation with a constant accretion rate of ˙ M = 5 × 10 16 g / s (0 . 045 ˙ M Ed. ) and reports on the detailed rp -process reaction flow of a given burst.