APEC Seminar (Astronomy - Particle Physics - Experimental Physics - Cosmology)

Speaker: Anders Jerkstrand (Queens Univ Belfast)
Title: The origin of the elements: direct nucleosynthesis constraints from supernovae
Date (JST): Thu, Nov 05, 2015, 13:30 - 14:30
Place: Seminar Room A
Related File: 1536.pdf
Abstract: Supernovae are the explosive deaths of stars. They play important roles in astrophysics by synthesising the heavy elements, driving the dynamic and chemical evolution of galaxies, and forming black holes and neutron stars. An understanding of the origin of the elements requires analysing which nucleosynthesis products are produced in which supernovae, and in what quantities.

I describe the methods of nebular-phase spectral modelling used to analyse supernova spectra at late times when the deep interior rich in newly produced elements is visible. I discuss results on nucleosynthesis yields and stellar origin of both hydrogen-rich and hydrogen-poor supernovae, with particular emphasis on our current understanding of the production sites of oxygen, the third most common element in the Universe. I also discuss recent results on explosive burning products, and constraints on the supernova explosion mechanism derived from these.