What is the source of gold in the universe?

Scientists have proposed a new explanation for how heavy chemical elements are formed in the universe.

Monthly announcements by the Royal Astronomical Society indicate that mild chemical elements (hydrogen and helium) appeared in the universe dozens of minutes after the Big Bang. Trace levels of lithium, beryllium and boron also appeared. As for the heavy chemical components, it is believed that they were formed in the thermonuclear boilers of the protostars.

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But there are other cosmic processes that cause the appearance of heavy chemical elements (iron, nickel, etc.) such as stellar explosions and neutron star collisions.

Some time ago, scientists in Germany, Belgium and Japan proposed a new method to explain the appearance of heavy chemical elements such as gold and uranium near black holes.

Through computer modeling, researchers have demonstrated that the composition of heavy elements is similar to that of some black holes, surrounded by dense and hot, orbiting objects called aggression disks. This structure (a black hole + an entire disk close to it) arises as a result of the fusion of two massive neutron stars, as well as the collapse of a rotating star and subsequent eruption.

But in reality, the composition of the overall disks has not been fully explored. Therefore, astronomers are particularly interested in how excess neutrons appear when this system is created. This is because excessive amounts of neutrons are a prerequisite for the formation of heavier chemical components. “Neutrino” strange particles without charge play an important role in this process because they provide transitions between protons and neutrons.

“During our study, we found that under certain conditions, aggregation disks produce large amounts of neutrons,” says Dr. Oliver Cast. “The key factor in the process is the total mass of the disk.”

Computer modeling shows that the optimum mass of the accretion disk required to produce the heaviest chemical elements should be 0.01 – 0.1 times the mass of the sun.

To prove the validity of their hypothesis, researchers will collect the necessary physical data and use next-generation accelerators such as the FAIR Center currently under construction.

Source: Vesti. Row

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