Modeling Kilonova Light Curves: Dependence on Nuclear Inputs

The mergers of binary neutron stars, as well black hole-neutron star systems, are expected to produce an electromagnetic counterpart that can be analyzed infer the element synthesis occurred in these events. We investigate one source uncertainties pertinent lanthanide-rich outflows: nuclear inputs rapid capture nucleosynthesis calculations. begin by examining thirty-two different combinations inputs: eight mass models, two types spontaneous fission rates, and daughter product distributions. find such physics typically generate at least order magnitude uncertainty key quantities heating (one a half orders day post-merger), bolometric luminosity five days inferred material from (factor when considering ten region). Since particular processes critical for determining signal, we provide tables nuclei undergoing $\beta$-decay, $\alpha$-decay, important times, identifying decays common among many input combinations.