Title: On the formation of stardust grains
Speaker: David Gobrecht
Affiliation: University of Gothenburg
Time: Thursday 1 June 2023, 1400 to 1500
Location: 90103Å
Abstract:
Stellar dust grains are formed in vigorous amounts in the atmospheres of comparatively cool evolved stars. The first steps of their formation (i.e. nucleation) proceed via molecular precursors and nano-sized clusters that eventually compose the stardust grains. However, the nucleation of these condensates represents a major challenge in current research. The nature of the dust-forming molecules and clusters depends on the chemical composition of the gas and the ambient conditions that are radically different from Earth.
In this talk I will present the progress and challenges in modeling the formation and growth of astrophysical dust particles with a particular emphasis on metal oxides.