Unveiling the Origins of Heavy Elements through Violent Neutron Star Collisions

Researchers are studying the spectra from the kilonova AT2017gfo to investigate the presence of forged tin and understand the process of heavy element production in violent cosmic collisions, such as neutron star mergers. By calculating energy levels and multipole transitions in singly ionized tin, the team generated atomic data that can be used for future astrophysical analysis. Although the observed spectra did not match any prominent features, the research provides valuable insights for identifying elements in kilonova events and advancing our understanding of these explosive cosmic phenomena.