Origin of the elements: Nucleosynthesis in stars

CHED 1623

Bradley S. Meyer, mbradle@clemson.edu, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Clemson University, 102C Kinard Laboratory, Clemson, SC 29634-0978
Nucleosynthesis in the early Universe left behind an abundance of hydrogen, helium, lithium, and trace amounts of beryllium and boron. All heavier elements present today in our Solar System and beyond are almost entirely the result of production in generations of stars. This talk reviews the evolution of stars and how that evolution is tied to the production of the chemical elements through successive nuclear burning phases that create heavier elements from lighter ones. It also reviews how stars expel their newly-forged elements into the medium between the stars and how successive generations of stars build up the chemical composition present in our Galaxy today. Finally, this talk presents some online tools to help internet users explore the formation of the chemical elements in stars and the evolution of their abundances in the Galaxy.