Galactic Archaeology: Constraining the Origin of the Elements with Empirical and Theoretical Supernova Yields

Griffith, Emily J, Columbus OH

Investigators

Abstract

Emily Griffith is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at the University of Colorado. Griffith will combine new observational results from large spectroscopic surveys with theoretical yields of elements produced in supernovae and evolved stars. Results from this project will allow astronomers to understand the origin of the elements and the chemical enrichment history of the Milky Way galaxy and the Magellanic Clouds. For the education component of this project, Griffith will develop a mentor training program to improve the retention of underrepresented students in science, and she will develop a planetarium show incorporating the latest research. This project will exploit high quality spectroscopic data for millions of stars to determine the relative contribution of core collapse supernovae (CCSN), Type Ia supernovae (SNIa), and Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars to the chemical enrichment of the Galactic disk and bulge, and the Magellanic Clouds. Through a detailed comparison of observational and theoretical data, Griffith will explore the impact of binary interactions on CCSN yields and identify elemental yield ratios that are diagnostic of SNIa enrichment channels. She will also construct a simulated stellar population with known enrichment to test her theoretical model and identify the abundance signatures that delayed enrichment sources such as SNIa and AGB stars imprint on observed stellar populations. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.