Proliferation of Interstellar Plutonium into the Solar System

Reto Trappitsch | 19-LW-033

Executive Summary

We will measure the contemporary abundance of plutonium in the solar system and compare this value to the inferred abundance of plutonium in the early solar system, which will enable us to locate the production sites of the nuclei responsible for plutonium proliferation in the solar system. If successful, our new techniques for detecting extremely low levels of plutonium will yield results that shed light on the chemical evolution of our galaxy.