New insights into the creation of heavy elements: Researchers simulate scattering of helium nuclei inside stars
Wednesday, December 2, 2015 - 13:13
in Physics & Chemistry
Alpha particles, as the nuclei of the helium atom are also called, play a decisive role in the formation of heavier elements. Carbon, for instance, is formed from the fusion of these alpha particles. If another helium nucleus is added, oxygen is formed - another prerequisite for the development of life on Earth. In the current issue of the journal Nature, an international team of researchers is now presenting a new method using supercomputers to create detailed simulations of these birth processes inside stars. The method reduces the computational effort required and for the first time makes it possible, using the Jülich supercomputer JUQUEEN, to do a complete calculation of the scattering process of two alpha particles.