Generalized Nucleosynthesis in a Massive Star · Earth and Space Sciences Reference Tables (ESSRT)
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The Generalized Nucleosynthesis in a Massive Star model from the Reference Tables for Earth and Space Sciences (ESSRT) shows the series of nuclear fusion stages that build heavier and heavier elements inside a massive star, and how long each stage lasts. It primarily supports HS-ESS1-3.
What the nucleosynthesis model shows
The model is drawn as a cross section of the star, with fusion shells layered like an onion: hydrogen fusing to helium in the outermost shell, then helium to carbon, carbon to oxygen, oxygen to silicon and silicon to iron, around a core of iron (Fe). A table beside it gives the duration of each stage: 7 × 106 years for hydrogen to helium, 7 × 105 years for helium to carbon, 600 years for carbon to oxygen, 6 months for oxygen to silicon, 1 day for silicon to iron and a quarter of a second for core collapse. Each stage is far shorter than the one before it.