Observations and formation of heavy elements in the early Universe

How do heavy elements like silver and gold form in the early Universe? The so-called rapid neutron-capture (r-) process forms heavy elements already very early on. This process is assumed to take place in rare supernova explosions or in compact mergers (e.g., of two neutron stars). The heavy elements make up most of the periodic table, yet we do not know how most of these elements form. The main formation site remains a puzzle, however, observations of old metal-poor stars show a large abundance spread in the heavy elements. This spread indicates that different processes could take place and contribute different amounts of the heavy elements in each explosion event. Observations of poorly studied heavy elements like Hf, Or, Ir and Pt recently provided new insight into the physics and nature of the r-process. Such discoveries do not only affect the individual stars or elements but also how the Galaxy evolves chemically.

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Vortrag im Rahmen der Seminarreihe der Münchener Chemischen Gesellschaft (MChG)