We show that long-range correlations for nuclear masses have a significant effect on the synthesis of heavy elements by the $r$ process. As calculated by Delaroche et al. [Phys. Rev. C 81, 014303 (2010)], these correlations suppress magic number effects associated with minor shells. This impacts the calculated abundances before the third $r$-process peak (at mass number $A\approx 195$), where the abundances are low and form a trough. This trough and the position of the third abundance peak are strongly affected by the masses of nuclei in the transition region between deformed and spherical. Based on different astrophysical environments, our results demonstrate that a microscopic theory of nuclear masses including correlations naturally smoothens the separation energies, thus reducing the trough and improving the agreement with observed solar system abundances.

• Received 21 November 2011

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.151101