Scientists may have uncovered the mystery behind the origin of gold in the universe.
The origin of heavy elements, particularly precious metals such as gold, has long been a compelling question in the realm of astrophysics. Recent research has shed light on this complex enigma, suggesting that gold may be formed in the cosmos through extraordinary events involving highly magnetic neutron stars, known as magnetars.
This groundbreaking study, which was published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters on April 29, analyzed two decades of archival data from various space missions. These data indicated that a significant amount of heavy metals, including gold, is produced during massive flares from magnetars. The research was spearheaded by Anirudh Patel, a doctoral candidate at the Department of Physics at Columbia University in New York. Patel utilized archival telescope data from NASA and the European Space Agency to explore the synthesis and distribution of heavy elements like iron and gold across the universe.
The researchers estimated that magnetar giant flares could account for up to 10 percent of the total abundance of elements heavier than iron in our galaxy. Co-authors of the study hail from multiple esteemed institutions, including Columbia University, Charles University in the Czech Republic, Louisiana State University, the Flatiron Institute in New York, and Ohio State University.
Magnetars are an exciting subclass of neutron stars characterized by their intense magnetic fields. Formed from the remnants of massive stars after explosive supernova events, these celestial bodies are theorized to have emerged approximately 13.6 billion years ago, shortly after the Big Bang, which took place around 13.8 billion years ago. Occasionally, magnetars unleash high-energy radiation through phenomena known as “starquakes”—events that fracture the magnetar’s crust and can produce powerful gamma-ray flares.
While the researchers observed material ejection during these giant flares, a clear physical explanation for this phenomenon remains elusive. They posited that these explosive events might facilitate the synthesis of gold through rapid neutron capture processes, wherein lighter atomic nuclei merge into heavier ones. The distinct identity of an element is determined by its number of protons; hence, gaining extra neutrons can lead to nuclear decay that ultimately alters an atom’s characteristics.
Historically, the formation of gold had been primarily attributed to neutron star collisions, or kilonovas. Observations of a neutron star collision in 2017 confirmed their ability to create heavy elements such as gold and platinum. Although these events are considered to have occurred later in the universe’s timeline, the current study suggests that magnetar flares could be the progenitors of gold, having formed much earlier in cosmic history.
The research team is looking to the future, with NASA’s upcoming Compton Spectrometer and Imager (COSI) mission, set to launch in 2027, anticipated to further investigate these findings. COSI aims to analyze energetic cosmic phenomena, including magnetar giant flares, and hopes to identify the various elements generated during these remarkable events, thus enhancing our understanding of elemental origins in the universe.
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