Stellar alchemy: the celestial origin of atoms

257 Pages·2003·2.609 MB·English

by  Michel Cassé, Stephen Lyle

StellarAlchemy
TheCelestialOriginofAtoms
Whydothestarsshine?Whatmessagescanwereadinthelighttheysendtousfrom
thedepthsofthenight?Nuclearastrophysicsisafascinatingdiscipline,andenables
connectionstobemadebetweenatoms,starsandhumanbeings.Throughmodern
astronomy,scientistshavemanagedtounravelthefullhistoryofthechemical
elements,andtounderstandhowtheyoriginatedandevolvedintoalltheelementsthat
composeoursurroundingstoday.Thetransformationofmetalsintogold,something
oncedreamedofbyalchemists,isaprocesscommonlyoccurringinthecoresof
massivestars.Butthemostexcitingrevelationistheintimateconnectionthathumanity
itselfhaswiththedebrisofexplodedstars.Thisengagingaccountofnucleosynthesis
instars,andtheassociatedchemicalevolutionoftheUniverse,issuitableforthe
generalreader.
michel casse´ isanastrophysicistattheServiced’AstrophysiqueinSaclay,France,
andanassociateresearchscientistattheInstitutd’AstrophysiquedeParis.Hehas
publishedseveralotherpopularphysicsbooksinFrench.
ThisbookwastranslatedbyStephenLyle,afreelancetranslatorofphysicsand
astrophysics.

Stellar Alchemy
The Celestial Origin of Atoms
MICHEL CASSE´
Serviced’Astrophysique
andInstitutd’AstrophysiquedeParis
TranslatedbyStephenLyle
  
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First published in print format 2003
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ThisbookisdedicatedtoAndre´ Grau
Toexorcisethesadnessofthefinite,
Ihavechosenthesky.
Alwayspolitewithlight,
Iletithavethefirstword.
Instructionshouldbegentle.

Contents
Preface pagexi
Acknowledgements xiv
1 Nuclearastrophysics:defenceandillustration 1
Aimsandaspirationsofnuclearastrophysics 2
Anhistoricaloverview 3
Explosiveastrophysics 7
2 Lightfromatoms,lightfromthesky 11
Matterwithandwithoutlight 11
3 Visions 17
Thelanguageoflight:equivalenceofcolour,wavelength
andtemperature 18
Thevisibleandtheinvisible 19
Imaginedjourneyinthetemperature–luminosityplane 23
Notesoflight 25
Acceleratorsinthesky 30
Lightandmotion 33
Three-dimensionalvision 34
Historyoftheworld’sstructure 36
Historyoftheworld’scontent 37
Astronomicalpractice 38
Cosmicarchives 38
Telescopes 39
Telescopesinthesky,onthegroundandinthebasement 40
4 Contentsofthesky:atomicsourcesandfountains 51
Sourcesoftheelements 52
TheGalaxy 53
vii
viii Contents
TheSun 54
Cosmologicalclouds 56
Exegesisoftheabundancetable 57
Aneconomicandbiologicalstandpoint 58
Acosmicandmathematicalstandpoint 59
Discursiveanalysisoftheabundancetable 63
Nuclearninepins 68
Supernovadust 71
Astronomyofradioactivity 73
5 Nuclearsuns 77
TheSunasreference 77
Nuclearcore 86
Stellarmodel 90
Shoutsandwhispers 91
Thestoryofthestars,brightanddark 93
Sourceofatoms 95
Synopsisofnucleosynthesis 96
S-andr-processisotopes 101
6 Sociologyofstarsandclouds 105
Galaxies:structuralunitsofthecosmos 105
Dialecticbetweenstarsandclouds 108
Interstellarchemistry 111
Theplightofhydrogen 113
Planetarynebulas 114
Supernovaremnantsandabrightcrab 116
Cosmicrays 117
Secondaryeffectsfromcosmicrays 119
7 Histories 123
HistoryoftheSun 124
Historyofcarbon 135
Historyofiron 144
Historyofgold 164
Historyoflead 166
Sharingthestellartreasure 168
8 Ancientstarsinthegalactichalo 171
CluestothechemicalevolutionoftheGalaxy 171
Atediouslesson 178
Results 180
Contents ix
Scientifichopesandaspirations 185
Lithium,beryllium,boronandthecontroversyoveroxygenand
theoriginofthelightelements 186
Thegasanddustoftheinterstellarmedium 188
Cosmologicalclouds 188
9 Conclusion 193
Appendix1 Invisiblematterandenergy 197
Appendix2 Supernovasandcosmology 211
Appendix3 Explosions 216
Appendix4 Stellarnucleosynthesis 220
Appendix5 Galacticevolution 224
Appendix6 Keydates 230
Appendix7 Constantsandunits 231
Appendix8 Websites 232
Bibliography 233
Index 237