Transcript Origin of the Elements

Origin of the
Elements
Stellar evolution
Fusion
Carbon-carbon fusion
Supernova
• Explanation: A supernova explosion, a massive star's inevitable and
spectacular demise, blasts back into space debris enriched in the
heavy elements forged in its stellar core. Incorporated into future
stars and planets, these are the elements ultimately necessary for
life. Seen here in a false-color x-ray image, supernova remnant SNR
0103-72.6 is revealed to be just such an expanding debris cloud in
neighboring galaxy, the Small Magellanic Cloud. Judging from the
measured size of the expanding outer ring of shock-heated gas,
about 150 light-years, light from the original supernova explosion
would have first reached Earth about 10,000 years ago. Hundreds of
supernova remnants have been identified as much sought after
astronomical laboratories for studying the cycle of element
synthesis and enrichment, but the x-ray data also show that the hot
gas at the center of this particular supernova remnant is
exceptionally rich in neon and oxygen.
– (this PowerPoint is on my teacher website)
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/origins/progra
m-3114.html
(chapter 5)