Nuclear Seminar

Nucleosynthesis in AGB Stars

Dr. Maria Lugaro
University of Utrecht

Monday, August 27, 2007   4:00 p.m.   NSH 124
(Refreshments served prior to seminar in NSH 124)

Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars play a main role, together with supernova explosions, in producing the elements in the Universe thus shaping the composition of stars and galaxies.  Different nucleosynthetic processes occur in AGB stars leading to the production of carbon, nitrogen, fluorine and heavy elements such as barium and lead.  I will give an overview of these processes, describe how the theorist models them, and summarize the vast range of exciting applications of this kind of study.  I will demonstrate that the study of AGB nucleosynthesis requires an interdisciplinary approach, which means that I always need to look at things from a different perspective and gain knowledge in different research fields.  I will give some examples of how the study of AGB stars encompasses nuclear physics, stellar physics, Cosmo chemistry, astronomy and cosmology.