Establishing Hands-On Astrophysics at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Reto Trappitsch | 19-FS-028

Executive Summary

We will develop a multi-instrument capability to study micrometer-sized grains of stardust, which are the only natural samples that are currently available for use in the study of astrophysical processes and that can be used to constrain astrophysical theories, such as the weak rapid neutron capture process. If successful, this study could help establish a national capability to measure the level of radioactivity in micrometer-sized particles, which will have numerous applications in environmental management and national security.

Publications, Presentations, Etc.

Trappitsch, R. 2019. "Molybdenum Isotopes in Presolar Silicon Carbide Grains: Details of s-process Nucleosynthesis in Parent Stars and Implications for r- and p-processes." Astrophys. J ., 877, 101. doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ab1c60. LLNL-JRNL-768104.

––– . 2019. "Presolar Silicon Carbide Grains of Types Y and Z: Their Molybdenum Isotopic Compositions and Stellar Origins." Astrophys. J ., 881,  28. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab2d27. LLNL-JRNL-765107.