Elements

The graph above shows the origin of the solar system elements in color code: (yellow) big bang nucleosynthesis; (grey) cosmic ray spallation; (orange) massive stars during hydrostatic burning; (red) explosive burning in massive stars, i.e., type II supernovae; (purple) type Ia supernovae; (blue) low- and intermediate mass stars during the asymptotic giant branch phase; (green) r-process, i.e., merger of two neutron stars or neutrino-driven wind in type II supernovae.

The horizontal red lines roughly divide the elements into two groups: those that are made by charged particle reactions (above red lines) and those that are made by neutron capture reactions (below red lines). For example, the elements shown in blue below the red lines are made in the main component of the s-process (i.e., via neutron capture) during the AGB phase in low- and intermediate mass stars, while those shown in blue above the red lines are made during the AGB phase via charged-particle reactions; elements shown in orange below the red lines are made in the weak s-process (i.e., via neutron capture) during core helium and shell carbon burning in massive stars, while those shown in orange above the red lines are made via charged-particle reactions during hydrostatic burning in massive stars.

Several elements have more than one source. For example, Rb is made via neutron capture in three sites: (i) the weak s-process, the main s-process, and the r-process.

Half of Li is left blank, to indicate that the origin of this element is uncertain at present. No sources are shown for Tc and Pm because these are radioactive and have decayed shortly after the birth of the solar system.

Sources used:

1. Sneden, Cowan, and Gallino,  Annu. Rev.  Astron. Astrophys. 46, 241-288 (2008).
2. The, El Eid, and Meyer, Astrophys. J. 655, 1058-1078 (2007).
3. Prantzos, Abia, Limongi, Chieffi, and Cristallo, Month. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc. 476, 3432-3459 (2018).
4. Pignatari, Gallino, Heil, Wiescher, Kaeppeler, Herwig, and Bisterzo, Astrophys. J. 710, 1557-1577 (2010).

Acknowledgments: The input of Sergio Cristallo and Nikos Prantzos is highly appreciated.