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Nucleosynthesis and the Isotopic Composition of StardustVarious components have been isolated from carbonaceous meteorites with an isotopically anomalous elemental composition. Several of these are generally thought to represent stardust containing a nucleosynthetic record of their birthsites. This paper discusses the expected isotopic composition of stardust based upon astronomical observations and theoretical studies of their birthsites: red giants and supergiants, planetary nebulae, C-rich Wolf-Rayet stars, novae and supernovae. Analyzing the stardust budget, it is concluded that about 15% of the elements will be locked up in stardust components in the interstellar medium. This stardust will be isotopically heterogenous on an individual grain basis by factors ranging from 2 to several orders of magnitude. Since comets may have preserved a relatively unprocessed record of the stardust entering the solar nebula, isotopic studies of returned comet samples may provide valuable information on the nucleosynthetic processes taking place in the interiors of stars and the elemental evolution of the Milky Way.
Document ID
19980218966
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Tielens, Alexander G. M.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 18, 2013
Publication Date
December 1, 1997
Publication Information
Publication: Analysis of Returned Comet Nucleus Samples
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
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