The turbulent origin of the elements in the first generation of stars

第一代恒星中元素的动荡起源

• 批准号: 371517-2009
• 负责人: Herwig, Falk
• 金额: $ 2.55万
• 依托单位: University of Victoria
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=528244
• 关键词: turbulent; origin; elements; first; generation

Through computer simulations it is now feasible to determine the physics of the origin of the elements in the first generations of stars that formed in our Universe. All matter that we see has been formed in stars and stellar explosions, except hydrogen and most helium which came out of the Big Bang. This stellar nuclear production started with the very first metal-free stars that had nothing but the Big Bang mix of protons and helium atoms to feed their nuclear engines. We now know both from observations and from theoretical considerations that stars in this early epoch of our Universe evolved differently than for example our sun which has significant amounts of heavier elements (which is obvious from all the matter on earth that is not hydrogen or helium). The first stars start the gradual build-up of complete distribution of elements that we observe today in the solar system, and to understand this beginning quantitatively is therefore of utmost importance if we aim to fully grasp where and how the elements originate. In order to fully understand the physics of nuclear production in these first stars we need to perform large-scale computer simulations that take into account all the relevant fundamental physical principles. In this project we will do exactly this. We develop theory and simulation based predictions of how these stars evolved, and what elements they produced in which quantities.

通过计算机模拟，现在可以在我们宇宙中形成的第一代恒星中确定元素来源的物理学。我们看到的所有物质都是在恒星和恒星爆炸中形成的，除了从大爆炸中出来的氢和大多数氦气。这种出色的核产量始于第一批无金属恒星，除了质子和氦原子的大爆炸混合物以喂养其核发动机。现在，我们从观察结果和理论考虑中都知道，在我们宇宙的早期时代的恒星与我们的太阳有不同的元素的发展不同（这与地球上所有不是氢或氦气的物质显然是显而易见的）。第一颗恒星开始逐步建立我们今天在太阳系中观察到的元素的完整分布，因此，如果我们旨在完全掌握元素的何处以及如何起源，则定量地理解这一开始至关重要。为了充分了解这些第一颗恒星的核产量物理学，我们需要执行大规模的计算机模拟，以考虑所有相关的基本物理原理。在这个项目中，我们将做到这一点。我们开发了基于理论和模拟这些恒星如何发展的预测，以及它们在哪些数量中产生的元素。