Limits on Supernova-Associated $^{60}\mathrm{Fe}/^{26}\mathrm{Al}$ Nucleosynthesis Ratios from Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Measurements of Deep-Sea Sediments

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Limits on Supernova-Associated ${}^{60}{Fe} / {}^{26}{Al}$ Nucleosynthesis Ratios from Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Measurements of Deep-Sea Sediments

Jenny Feige, Anton Wallner, Randolf Altmeyer, L. Keith Fifield, Robin Golser, Silke Merchel, Georg Rugel, Peter Steier, Stephen G. Tims, and Stephan R. Winkler

Phys. Rev. Lett. 121, 221103 – Published 27 November 2018

Abstract

We searched for the presence of ${}^{26}{Al}$ in deep-sea sediments as a signature of supernova influx. Our data show an exponential dependence of ${}^{26}{Al}$ with the sample age that is fully compatible with radioactive decay of terrigenic ${}^{26}{Al}$ . The same set of samples demonstrated a clear supernova ${}^{60}{Fe}$ signal between 1.7 and 3.2 Myr ago. Combining our ${}^{26}{Al}$ data with the recently reported ${}^{60}{Fe}$ data results in a lower limit of ${0.18}_{- 0.08}^{+ 0.15}$ for the local interstellar ${}^{60}{Fe} / {}^{26}{Al}$ isotope ratio. It compares to most of the ratios deduced from nucleosynthesis models and is within the range of the observed average galactic ${}^{60}{Fe} / {}^{26}{Al}$ flux ratio of ( $0.15 \pm 0.05$ ).

Received 25 May 2018
Revised 20 September 2018

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.121.221103

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Environmental research Novae & supernovae Nuclear astrophysics

Accelerators & BeamsGravitation, Cosmology & AstrophysicsNuclear PhysicsInterdisciplinary Physics

Authors & Affiliations

Jenny Feige^1,2,*, Anton Wallner³, Randolf Altmeyer⁴, L. Keith Fifield³, Robin Golser², Silke Merchel⁵, Georg Rugel⁵, Peter Steier², Stephen G. Tims³, and Stephan R. Winkler^2,6

¹Technische Universität Berlin, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Hardenbergstr. 36, 10623 Berlin, Germany
²University of Vienna, Faculty of Physics-Isotope Research and Nuclear Physics, VERA Laboratory, Währingerstr. 17, 1090 Vienna, Austria
³The Australian National University, Department of Nuclear Physics, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
⁴Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Department of Mathematics, Unter den Linden 6, 10099 Berlin, Germany
⁵Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology, Bautzner Landstr. 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
⁶iThemba LABS—Laboratory for Accelerator Based Science, Somerset West 7129, South Africa