Projjwal Banerjee, a researcher in astrophysics from the University of California Berkeley, stopped by N.C. State Thursday to give a presentation about a theory that attempts to explain where heavy elements came from in the early universe.
Gail McLaughlin, a professor in astrophysics at N.C. State, attended the event, along with 10 other professors, researchers and post-doctoral students. The event was aimed at professionals in the astrophysics field.
According to McLaughlin, an important question researchers are trying to figure out in this field is where heavy elements such uranium originate.
The event was held in Riddick Hall at N.C. State’s North Campus.
“I thought [Banerjee] did a nice job,” McLaughlin said. “He presented an alternative model for making heavy elements in the early universe.”
According to the presentation, the early universe included the first billion years after the Big Bang events.
The two leading theories as to where heavy elements come from are neutron stars and core collapse supernovas, Banerjee said.
“I thought he had an interesting idea, but like the other two models, some things need to be worked out,” McLaughlin said. “His model requires a large neutrino temperature, which is not ruled out but not currently favored.”
Banerjee presented a model, which was first proposed in 1988 by R. Epstein, S. Colgate and W.C. Haxton.
Though attendees who weren’t familiar with astrophysics would have difficulty following some of the presentation’s jargon, N.C. State researchers, graduate students and faculty members followed along with the presentation and asked questions about the data and research.
“We work in an area that focuses on where various elements are made in the universe. You can approach this problem in two different ways: I have an element on earth, where was it made, or you have a place that makes elements and you ask what they make,” McLaughlin said. “These questions usually meet in the middle. This presentation was about an astrophysical site, and I have the right conditions but I need to see what elements it makes.”
Tina Lund, a post doctorate researcher in astroparticle physics at N.C. State, also attended the event.
According to Lund, one theory that might explain the origin of heavy elements is that the core-collapse supernova produces them.
“If you could have the electron neutrinos or the anti-neutrinos, you could make the heavy element production process go faster,” Lund said. “The important part is if you can get electron antineutrinos to get higher energy, you can get more neutrons to produce the heavy elements. What I do is research how neutrinos interact with other neutrinos, but it can go into calculations with what Banerjee was doing.”
After the speech was over, people stayed to ask questions about this relatively new theory.
“The model tries to answer the questions about the other ways of producing heavy elements at early times that haven’t been talked about until now,” Banerjee said.
Although some questioned it, attendees were mostly supportive of the model Banerjee presented.
“I thought it was really nice, and that it was an interesting new way of creating some of the heavy elements,” Lund said.