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Researchers have found observational evidence that magnetar flares can produce heavy elements like gold through a process known as r-process nucleosynthesis. Until now, gold was believed to form predominantly in neutron star mergers.
Magnetarsare a type ofneutron starcharacterised byexceptionally strong magnetic fields, estimated to be athousand times stronger than typical neutron stars. Occasionally, they emitintense bursts of energyin the form offlares.
The discovery was based on data from agiant flare emitted by a magnetar in 2004, during whichunusual gamma-ray emissionswere recorded almost aday after the initial flareby NASA’sCompton Gamma Ray Observatory.
Thedelayed emissionwas not consistent withstandard flare afterglows. Instead, it displayedsignatures of radioactive decayfromneutron-rich isotopes, suggesting the presence ofr-process nucleosynthesis.
What Is R-Process Nucleosynthesis?
Ther-processorrapid neutron-capture processis a series of nuclear reactions whereatomic nuclei rapidly capture neutrons, formingheavy elements like gold, platinum, and uranium. It requiresextreme energy environmentsandneutron-rich matter.
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