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SUMMARY:Merging neutron stars\, kilonovae and the origin of the heavy chem
 ical elements - Professor	Nial Tanvir\, University of Leicester
DTSTART:20220215T193000Z
DTEND:20220215T204500Z
UID:TALK168929@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Xuchen Wang
DESCRIPTION:*Talk Abstract*\n\nThe origin of many of the chemical elements
  heavier than iron\, including precious metals such as gold and platinum\,
  has been a long-standing puzzle.\nOne hypothesis is that they are predomi
 nantly formed during mergers of ultra-dense neutron stars which are expect
 ed to synthesise heavy elements when ejected neutron star material explode
 s in what is known as a kilonova. The same merger events also release high
 ly relativistic jets of plasma which we see as so-called gamma-ray bursts\
 , as well as copious gravitational waves. All of these phenomena were seen
  together for the first time in 2017 confirming the general picture\, but 
 leaving challenging questions still to be answered\, as I will describe.\n
 \n---\n\n*Speaker Information*\n\nProfessor Nial Tanvir obtained his BSc i
 n Mathematics and Physics at the University of Durham. He stayed in Durham
  to do a PhD entitled "Resolved Stars in External Galaxies" under the supe
 rvision of Dick Fong and Tom Shanks. After a short post-doc in Durham\, he
  moved to the Institute of Astronomy in Cambridge where I was a member of 
 the UK Hubble Space Telescope Support Facility. In 1999 He was appointed a
 s a lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire\, and in 2006 moved to Lei
 cester as Professor of Astronomy. He has sat on many scientific advisory c
 ommittees\, and in 2002 was the co-recipient of the European Union Descart
 es Prize for Research\, recognising pioneering contributions to the study 
 of gamma-ray burst afterglows. He was awarded a PPARC Senior Fellowship in
  2005.\n\nHe is also actively involved in public outreach\, giving frequen
 t talks to schools\, societies and public audiences\, and making occasiona
 l TV and radio appearances.
LOCATION:Pfizer Lecture Theatre\, Department of Chemistry
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