Impact of ab initio E1 strength on neutron capture rates along the nickel isotopic chain

Nucleosynthesis simulations of the r-process require neutron capture rates for neutron-rich nuclei, many of which lie beyond experimental reach. Predicting these rates relies on theoretical calculations of the low-energy electric dipole (E1) strength near the neutron threshold. We present the first ab initio computation of the E1 strength along the nickel isotopic chain, for 58 Ni and the even-even isotopes 68-80 Ni. The E1 strength is obtained with the Lorentz integral transform coupled-cluster (LIT-CC) method, extended to axially symmetric reference states to reach open-shell nuclei, using two- and three-nucleon interactions from chiral effective field theory. The approach is benchmarked against the measured photoabsorption cross section of 58 Ni and the E1 strength of 68 Ni. Along the chain we find low-lying E1 strength above the neutron threshold that grows with neutron number. Including it in the reaction code TALYS enhances the neutron capture rates forming 68-78 Ni between 3 and 10 GK, with an effect that increases with temperature and neutron number and an uncertainty dominated by the inversion of the integral transform. For 80 Ni, where strong pygmy dipole strength lies just above threshold, the enhancement sets in already around 0.5 GK. Together, these results open the way to ab initio input for neutron capture rates along isotopic chains far from stability.