Speaker
Sema Caliskan
(Theoretical Astrophysics, Uppsala University, Sweden)
Description
The cosmic origin of the neutron-capture elements beyond iron in the periodic table has long been a puzzle. In 2017, the observation of GW170817 provided the first-ever observational clue that kilonovae could be the primary source of these heavy elements. However, spectral elemental analysis of kilonovae is hindered by the lack of complete and accurate atomic data for neutron-capture elements caused by their complex electron structure. This contribution presents theoretical strategies for overcoming these challenges. Specifically, new ab-initio and semi-empirical investigations of the atomic structure and radiative properties of neutral gold are presented as a representative case for the complexity of neutron-capture elements.
Primary author
Sema Caliskan
(Theoretical Astrophysics, Uppsala University, Sweden)
