Recent scientific observations have unveiled a rare celestial spectacle: the merging of two neutron stars. This collision set off a phenomenal explosion, uncovering the origin of precious metals. Triggering an explosion, known as a kilonova, it serves as a crucible for the formation of heavy elements such as gold and silver. Through the James Webb (JWST) and Hubble space telescopes, astronomers have been able to directly witness this process.
Illustration of two neutron stars colliding, creating a kilonova.
Credit: Robin Dienel/Carnegie Institution for Science
This event, observed in March 2023 and named GRB 230307A, stood out for its remarkable duration of 200 seconds, challenging our understanding of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). These phenomena are the most powerful explosions in the Universe, typically categorized into two types: long and short. Before this discovery, it was believed that long GRBs resulted from the collapse of massive stars, not from the merger of neutron stars.
This stellar merger did more than just light up the sky; it also confirmed that such events are capable of creating elements heavier than iron. The merger emits neutron-rich material, precursors to precious metals, through a process known as rapid neutron capture, or the r-process.
The spectacle doesn't end here: the collision generated a gravitational wave, a ripple in the fabric of space-time. This discovery opens new avenues of research into the formation of elements in the Universe and the still unsolved mysteries of gamma-ray bursts.