Active-Sterile Neutrino Transformation and r-Process Nucleosynthesis

Abstract

The type II supernova is considered as a candidate site for the production of heavy elements. Since the supernova produces an intense neutrino flux, neutrino scattering processes will impact element formation. We examine active-sterile neutrino conversion in this environment and find that it may help to produce the requisite neutron-to-seed ratio for synthesis of the r-process elements.

Comments: 5 pages including 2 figures, to appear in the Proceedings of the Conference on the Intersections of Nuclear and Particle Physics 2000