BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
CALSCALE:GREGORIAN
PRODID:UW-Madison-Physics-Events
BEGIN:VEVENT
SEQUENCE:1
UID:UW-Physics-Event-4700
DTSTART:20180420T203000Z
DURATION:PT1H0M0S
DTSTAMP:20260419T002704Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20180402T203711Z
LOCATION:2241 Chamberlin Hall
SUMMARY:The astrophysical r-process: what we are learning from gravita
 tional waves\, dwarf galaxies\, and stellar archaeology\, Physics Depa
 rtment Colloquium\, Ian Roederer\, University of Michigan\, Ann Arbor
DESCRIPTION:Understanding the origin of the elements is one of the maj
 or challenges of modern astrophysics. The rapid neutron-capture proces
 s\, or r-process\, is one of the fundamental ways that stars produce t
 he elements listed along the bottom two-thirds of the periodic table\,
  but key aspects of the r-process are still poorly understood. I will 
 describe three major advances in the last few years that have succeede
 d in confirming neutron star mergers as an important site of the r-pro
 cess. These include the detection of freshly produced r-process materi
 al powering the kilonova associated with the merger of neutron stars d
 etected via gravitational waves (GW170817)\, the detection of a dwarf 
 galaxy where most of the stars are highly enhanced in r-process elemen
 ts (Reticulum II)\, and advances in deriving abundances of previously-
 undetected r-process elements (Se\, Te\, Pt) in ultraviolet and optica
 l spectra of metal-poor stars in the Milky Way halo field. I will desc
 ribe future prospects that connect these three research directions and
  future rare isotope accelerators to associate specific physics with s
 pecific sites of the r-process. Finally\, I will highlight the major i
 mpact of Jim Lawler's atomic spectroscopy group at Wisconsin in enabli
 ng these advances.
URL:https://www.physics.wisc.edu/events/?id=4700
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR