Spectroscopic observations as tracers of stellar nucleosynthesis featuring Shreeya Shetye (KU Leuven)

Hosted by: Thibaut Dumont (CNRS Strasbourg)

The groundwork for stellar nucleosynthesis was established over 70 years ago, marking the beginning of a fascinating journey. Since then, substantial progress has unfolded on both theoretical and observational fronts. On the theoretical side, intricate models of stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis have evolved, utilising increasingly precise nuclear data. Simultaneously, the observational realm has witnessed a significant rise in the number of stars analysed.

The study of neutron-capture nucleosynthesis, particularly the s-process, has spanned various types of evolved stars—ranging from the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars to the carbon-enhanced metal-poor and post-AGB stars. In my presentation, I will provide a comprehensive yet concise overview of anomalies in s-process abundances observed in AGB and other chemically peculiar stars. We will explore the abundance findings from the active s-process nucleosynthesis site, focusing on AGB stars. Additionally, I'll discuss the results from indirect tracers of this nucleosynthesis— specifically, the binary companions of AGB stars that have been polluted by the nucleosynthesis material. To conclude, we will venture into understanding the differences between large-scale abundances generated through machine learning and those determined through high-resolution spectroscopy.