Abstract

Invited Talk - Plenary

Thursday, 12 September 2024, 10:00   (Aula 1&2 / virtual plenum)

Observations and formation of heavy elements in early Universe

Camilla Hansen
Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main

How do the heavy elements like silver and gold form in the early Universe? The so-called rapid neutron-capture (r-)process forms heavy elements (Z>30) early on and is thought to take place via rare supernovae explosions or, e.g., binary neutron star mergers. And yet, we still do not exactly know how the vast majority of elements in the periodic table formed, and their main formation site remain a puzzle. However, observations of low-mass stars show a huge abundance spread and indicate that different processes could be at play at early and later times in each of the Galactic components (halo and discs). By comparing stellar abundances with yield predictions from various astrophysical objects the goal is to improve our understanding of the physics of the r-process as well as its formation sites and the Galactic chemical evolution on a large scale. Complex observations of poorly known elements like hafnium, platinum, and osmium will ultimately provide important constraints on the physics of the r-process.