Recycling in the Universe

Alyssa A. Goodman

Department of AstronomyHarvard University

Recycling in the Universe

Molecular Clouds

Stars

Mass Loss

Fluctuations about 300,000 years after the Big Bang led to "Structure Formation"

Pretty young galaxies

"Star Formation"

Star "Death":

Interstellar Recycling

Plants

Mass=100 x Sun

Distribution of Recycling Plants

0.01

2

3

456

0.1

2

3

456

1

Rela

tive N

um

ber

of

Sta

rs

0.1 1 10

Mass [MSun]

e.g. for every "Sun" there are

22 stars with mass

10x smaller than the

Sun's

The "Initial Mass Function" (IMF)The Hertzprung-Russell Diagram

100

Output of Recycling PlantsThe Hertzprung-Russell Diagram

Supernova, then neutron star/pulsar or black hole

Red giant then white dwarf

Long-lived brown dwarfs

"Styrofoam"

Good recyclables. Red-giant wind main dust injection in ISM.

Spectacular contribution, and collection. Explosion injects, and "sweeps up" interstellar material.

A "Supernov

a" Recycling

Plant

Swept-up Gas:The Next Generation

“Star and Planet Formation”

Giant Molecular

Clouds

"Cores" and Outflows

Jets and Disks

Solar System Formation

"Dark" Clouds

(Unusual?) Stellar

Nursery in the Eagle

Nebula

Star Formation Caused by A Galaxy Collision (a.k.a. igniting the trash)

Output of Recycling PlantsThe Hertzprung-Russell Diagram

Supernova, then neutron star/pulsar or black hole

Red giant then white dwarf

Long-lived brown dwarfs

"Styrofoam"

Good recyclables. Red-giant wind main dust injection in ISM.

Spectacular contribution, and collection. Explosion injects, and "sweeps up" interstellar material.

"Excess Gas?"

Post-red-giant planetary

nebula

Recycling in the Universe

Recycling in the Universe(?)

Thanks to the MMO!

For more information, or anon-line version of this talk, visit:

cfa-www.harvard.edu/~agoodman