Stellar Alchemy: The Celestial Origin of Atoms PDF
Preview Stellar Alchemy: The Celestial Origin of Atoms
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 Cambridge, New York, Melbourne, Madrid, Cape Town, Singapore, São Paulo Cambridge University Press The Edinburgh Building, Cambridge , United Kingdom Published in the United States of America by Cambridge University Press, New York www.cambridge.org Information on this title: www.cambridge.org/9780521821827 © Cambridge University Press 2003 This book is in copyright. Subject to statutory exception and to the provision of relevant collective licensing agreements, no reproduction of any part may take place without the written permission of Cambridge University Press. First published in print format 2003 - ---- eBook (NetLibrary) - --- eBook (NetLibrary) - ---- hardback - --- hardback Cambridge University Press has no responsibility for the persistence or accuracy of s for external or third-party internet websites referred to in this book, and does not guarantee that any content on such websites is, or will remain, accurate or appropriate. 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
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