The Explosive Origin of the Elements - Andrew Emerick - 08/07/20

Everything on Earth, everything you see, almost everything in the Universe -- even you -- has at one point or another been a part of a star. Learn about how different elements get created in the cores of stars or in cosmic explosions. Timestamps, links and Q&A panel questions are included below.

Welcome & Announcements: 00:00
Stargazing & Perseid Meteor Shower Viewing Tips: 02:43
Lecture: 10:41
Q&A Panel Start: 42:26
Can we use heavy element isotopes to "carbon date" the Universe? 45:24
Why aren't technetium and promethium made in stars? 46:52
What's the most common type of star? 50:21
Have we discovered all of the elements? 51:40
Is there a soup of quarks in the interiors of stars? 57:52
Can we find exoplanets based on their magnetic fields and plasma bubbles? 1:03:59
If we were to stand on Mercury, could we breathe its atmosphere? 1:05:57
Why are beryllium and boron not formed in stars? 1:08:11
How much computing power and hard drive space are required to simulate galaxy formation? 1:09:57
How do scientists determine which elements get formed where? 1:17:09
How does a binary neutron star system form? 1:18:59
Could there be fragments of exploded neutron stars in other stars/planets? 1:24:06
What is the Chandrasekhar Limit and how does it factor into element formation? 1:26:09
How has the pandemic affected the astronaut selection process this year? 1:27:50
What is a strange star? 1:33:06
How do elements heavier than iron form? What are the r-process and s-processes and how do they work? 1:36:33
What elements are exoplanets made of? 1:41:33
What has been your journey to astronomy/astrophysics? Do you have any advice for someone wanting to take up astronomy/astrophysics? 1:46:57
Can the mass of unseen exoplanets explain the predicted mass of dark matter? 1:58:14

Date: August 7, 2020
Lecturer: Andrew Emerick
Title: The Explosive Origin of the Elements
Abstract: Nearly every element was made through some type of star. This means everything on Earth, everything you see, almost everything in the Universe -- even you -- has at one point or another been a part of a star. While this paints a beautiful, maybe even harmonious picture of our place in relation to the rest of the Universe, the process of creating the elements in stars is anything but peaceful -- it is everything explosive. You may have heard the saying "we are all star stuff" before, but in this talk I'm going to unpack that saying more. I will explore the explosive origin of the elements, from the carbon and oxygen that are integral to life, to the silicon that makes computers possible, to heavier elements like silver and gold which are made in the collisions of dead stars.

Participants:

Dr. Andrew Emerick is a postdoctoral researcher in theoretical astrophysics at both Caltech and Carnegie Observatories. Broadly, he is interested in galaxy formation and evolution, and focuses primarily on studying how stars enrich galaxies with new elements over cosmic time. To do this, he produces simulations run on high-performance supercomputers to evolve galaxies and their stars over cosmic time. Outside of astronomy, he can’t spend enough time rock climbing or trail running, and hiking with his wife and 11 month old son. https://users.obs.carnegiescience.edu/aemerick/

Sarah Blunt is a PhD student in observational astrophysics at Caltech interested in finding and studying planets outside our solar system. She spends her time thinking about how to improve planet detection methods using statistical and computational techniques. Sarah loves teaching and mentoring, as well as reading fantasy novels, baking, and her dog Fido. https://sites.google.com/g.harvard.edu/sarah/home?authuser=0

Dr. Ilaria Caiazzo is a postdoctoral researcher in astrophysics at Caltech. She is interested in stars, in their lives and in their afterlives. She works on stellar evolution and dynamics, in particular in star clusters, and in the remnants of stellar deaths: white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes. When she’s not thinking about stars, she likes writing and producing for movies. http://ilariacaiazzo.com/

Dr. Cameron Hummels is a postdoctoral researcher in theoretical astrophysics at Caltech. He creates supercomputer simulations to study the formation and evolution of galaxies since the Big Bang. In addition to astrophysics and public education, he is really enthusiastic about trailrunning, backpacking, and chess. http://chummels.org

Stargazing Resources:

Perseid Meteor Shower Viewing Tips: https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/everything-you-need-to-know-perseid-meteor-shower

Comet NEOWISE Viewing Tips: https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecartereurope/2020/08/06/3-ways-to-glimpse-comet-neowise-with-your-own-eyes-this-weekend-before-it-vanishes

Sky Visualization Software (free!): https://stellarium.org/

Stargazing Apps:
Sky Guide: https://www.fifthstarlabs.com/#sky-guide
Star Walk 2: https://starwalk.space/en

Видео The Explosive Origin of the Elements - Andrew Emerick - 08/07/20 канала Caltech Astro