Comparing the Impacts of Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics Inputs on X-ray Burst Model Calculations

Type-I X-ray burst light curves encode information about the underlying neutron star, such as its compactness and distance. This information can be gleaned by performing detailed comparisons between astronomical observations and astrophysics model calculations. However, model calculation results are sensitive to astrophysics and nuclear physics input. A natural question is to what degree the nuclear physics uncertainties matter when compared to modifications to the astrophysical conditions assumed for a calculation. I will present results from model calculations performed with the code MESA that show nuclear physics uncertainties can have as large of an impact as relatively substantial modifications to some astrophysical conditions on modeled x-ray burst light curves and ash abundances. I will briefly discuss prospects for removing some of the most critical nuclear physics uncertainties.