Speaker
Description
The astrophysical origin of the rapid neutron capture (r-process) remains an outstanding mystery in nuclear astrophysics. I will review our evolving understanding of potential r-process sites, particularly those associated with the merger of binary neutron stars and the core collapse of massive rotating stars. I will describe how these diverse channels are directly probed by the thermal kilonova or r-process-enriched supernova emission which follows these events, highlighting also the connection with the gravitational wave emission detected by LIGO/Virgo. Time permitting, I will describe a new type of stellar explosion - a "super-kilonova" - produced by the birth of the most massive spinning black holes, which may be discovered following gamma-ray bursts or by future infrared observations with the Roman Space Telescope.
