Galaxy evolution and abundances of elements in the sun
Prof. Dr. Maria Bergemann (University Heidelberg)

One of the prime questions in modern astrophysics is the origin and evolution of chemical elements. Why is the chemical composition so vastly (as of today, ~8 orders of magnitude) different for various astronomical objects, such as the Sun, Galactic stars and their planetary companions? How can one explore the full history of the evolution of elements, from the Big Bang to the present?
I will review recent progress in studying the chemical enrichment of the Milky Way galaxy. I will focus on advances in determining solar and stellar chemical composition, driven by new observations and new theoretical models. These models rely on the physics of non-local thermodynamic equilibrium (NLTE) and 3D radiation-hydrodynamics simulations of stellar convection.

I will touch upon the key science topics:

- how 3D NLTE solar abundances have advanced our understanding of the structure of the Sun and its neutrino fluxes,
- how evidence for non-standard supernova Ia explosions has emerged from 3D NLTE abundances of iron-group elements,
- how constraints on the properties of neutron star mergers can be obtained from observations of the heavy neutron-capture elements in stellar spectra.

I will conclude with a brief summary of the prospects for studies of stars using 3D NLTE modelling and next-generation large astronomical surveys.

Slides: https://keeper.mpdl.mpg.de/f/290a8b617dae47218bf8/