Editing Nucleosynthesis (section)

==Processes==
{{unreferenced section|date=April 2021}}
There are a number of [[astrophysical]] processes which are believed to be responsible for nucleosynthesis. The majority of these occur within stars, and the chain of those nuclear fusion processes are known as hydrogen burning (via the [[proton–proton chain]] or the [[CNO cycle]]), [[Triple-alpha process|helium burning]], [[Carbon-burning process|carbon burning]], [[Neon-burning process|neon burning]], [[Oxygen-burning process|oxygen burning]] and [[Silicon-burning process|silicon burning]]. These processes are able to create elements up to and including iron and nickel. This is the region of nucleosynthesis within which the isotopes with the highest [[binding energy]] per nucleon are created. Heavier elements can be assembled within stars by a neutron capture process known as the [[s-process]] or in explosive environments, such as [[supernova]]e and [[neutron star merger]]s, by a number of other processes. Some of those others include the r-process, which involves rapid neutron captures, the [[rp-process]], and the [[p-process]] (sometimes known as the gamma process), which results in the [[photodisintegration]] of existing nuclei.