Nucleosynthesis and electromagnetic outcome from compact object mergers and their legacy

TYPEAstrophysics Seminar
Speaker:Yossef Zenati
Affiliation:Johns Hopkins University
Date:14.02.2024
Time:14:30 - 15:30
Location:Lidow 620
Abstract:

In the last decade, gravitational waves and multi-messenger time domain astronomy provides a fresh view of the dynamic Universe and precursor of a new era in astrophysics. Notably, it sheds light on the astrophysics of compact objects, the origin of the heaviest elements, and allows for unique probes of fundamental physics. Those heavy elements produced via the rapid neutron capture process have remained a question of intense debate for many years. A fresh example event is the "kilonova" emission that accompanied GW170817 and revealed a binary neutron star merger. I will discuss recent results on the binary neutron stars simulation and how other explosive transient like the collapse of massive rotating stars "collapsars" which give rise to long GRBs and the formation of heavy elements in the universe. In particular, I will focus on two frontier research areas neutron star mergers and collapsar (/massive- collapsar). Also, I will highlight how multi-messenger astronomy may answer how does the Universe create the heaviest elements