At the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) at Michigan State University, an international research team has achieved a significant milestone by creating five new isotopes, effectively bringing celestial phenomena closer to Earth. Reported in Physical Review Letters, these isotopes—thulium-182, thulium-183, ytterbium-186, ytterbium-187, and lutetium-190—mark the inaugural batch of new isotopes synthesized at FRIB, a vital user facility supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC) to advance nuclear physics research.
Led by Oleg Tarasov, senior research physicist at FRIB, and co-spokesperson Alexandra Gade, professor of physics at FRIB and Michigan State University, the project involved collaboration among researchers from FRIB, MSU, the Institute for Basic Science in South Korea, and RIKEN in Japan.
The significance of this achievement lies in the proximity it brings to understanding the nuclear specimens present in ultradense celestial bodies like neutron stars, whose collisions give rise to these isotopes. Bradley Sherrill, University Distinguished Professor at MSU and head of FRIB’s Advanced Rare Isotope Separator department, highlights the unprecedented precision of FRIB’s instruments, enabling researchers to detect even a couple of individual particles of a new isotope—a capability that underpins this groundbreaking discovery.
With the successful creation of these new isotopes, researchers now have the opportunity to conduct experiments that were previously unimaginable. This milestone not only expands our understanding of nuclear physics but also paves the way for further exploration into the properties of isotopes akin to those found in celestial bodies.
Sherrill aptly likens this endeavor to embarking on a journey into uncharted territory. “We’ve been looking forward to going somewhere we’ve never been before, and this is the first step,” he remarks. “We’ve left home and we’re starting to explore.” Indeed, this pioneering achievement represents just the beginning of a voyage towards unlocking the mysteries of the cosmos through cutting-edge research and collaboration.
Almost star stuff
Our sun serves as a cosmic powerhouse, orchestrating the intricate fusion of hydrogen nuclei into helium—a process that fuels its radiant energy. However, to forge elements heavier than helium on the periodic table, nature demands even more extreme environments than those found within our stellar neighbor.
Enter neutron stars, the remnants of massive stars that have undergone supernova explosions. Despite their diminutive size—comparable to that of a city like Lansing—neutron stars harbor the mass of our sun, packing an extraordinary density of matter into a compact space.
Scientists speculate that the collision of two neutron stars offers the ideal crucible for synthesizing elements like gold—an element roughly 200 times more massive than hydrogen. In these cataclysmic mergers, the intense gravitational forces and extreme pressures facilitate the fusion of atomic nuclei, giving rise to a rich tapestry of heavy elements.
Bradley Sherrill underscores the significance of neutron star collisions in shaping the composition of our universe. “It’s not certain, but people think that all of the gold on Earth was made in neutron star collisions,” he explains. This tantalizing hypothesis underscores the pivotal role played by cosmic events in seeding our planet with precious metals and elements.
While the five new isotopes synthesized at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB) may not directly hail from the aftermath of neutron star collisions, they represent a significant leap towards probing the elusive realm of heavy element synthesis. These isotopes serve as stepping stones towards unraveling the complex processes occurring in the aftermath of neutron star mergers, offering tantalizing insights into the origin of heavy elements in the universe.
As researchers continue to push the boundaries of nuclear physics and astrophysics, the prospects for delving deeper into the mysteries of neutron star collisions appear promising. By replicating the isotopic compositions present in these cosmic crucibles, scientists stand poised to unlock the secrets of heavy element formation, illuminating the cosmic pathways that have shaped the elemental landscape of our universe.
Source: Michigan State University