UK: Indian-Origin Astrophysicist, Professor Vik Dhillon, Shines Light on Universe’s Mysteries

Professor Vik Dhillon, an Indian-origin astrophysicist from the College of Sheffield within the UK, is a part of a group that has introduced humanity nearer to understanding how the heaviest chemical parts are created within the universe utilizing a high-end digital camera.

Dhillon, a key determine within the College’s Physics and Astronomy Division, and chief of the ULTRACAM challenge, notes that the digital camera is the primary instrument to exactly find the gamma-ray burst, marking the initiation of the kilonova explosion. A kilonova, ensuing from the fusion of two dense neutron stars, holds significance because it’s considered the supply of the heaviest parts on the periodic desk, together with gold, platinum, and uranium discovered on Earth.

“Our digital camera ULTRACAM was the primary instrument to pinpoint the situation of the gamma-ray burst, the second brightest one ever noticed, that indicated the beginning of the kilonova explosion,” Dhillon was quoted as saying by PTI. “That is solely the second safe kilonova that has been discovered. Kilonovae are significantly necessary as a result of it’s the place many of the heaviest parts within the periodic desk are believed to be produced, together with gold platinum and uranium, for instance. This implies we at the moment are one step nearer to understanding how the heaviest chemical parts are created within the universe,” he mentioned.

The invention permits scientists to set off different telescopes all over the world for follow-up observations, together with the James Webb House Telescope (JWST). Within the findings printed within the ‘Nature’ journal this week, the scientists together with these on the College of Sheffield noticed the tell-tale pink mild from the kilonova, because of the absorption of blue mild by the heavy parts produced within the explosion.

The presence of heavy parts was confirmed by observations with the JWST, which found tellurium within the infrared spectrum of the kilonova. Tellurium is subsequent to iodine within the periodic desk, implying vital portions of iodine – important for all times on Earth – have been additionally fashioned within the explosion.

Dr Stuart Littlefair, from the College of Sheffield’s Division of Physics and Astronomy who was concerned within the analysis, mentioned: “The position ULTRACAM performed was one among being in the proper place on the proper time. These objects fade away in a short time and it takes a delicate digital camera mounted on a big telescope to detect the optical mild from the merging compact objects.”

“ULTRACAM was capable of finding the faint optical counterpart and permit follow-up with different telescopes. As well as, ULTRACAM can take footage in a number of wavelengths of sunshine directly, and the color was one of many first hints that this occasion was one thing particular.” Scientists noticed the merger of two neutron stars, ensuing within the explosion generally known as a kilonova. These occasions are uncommon, quick and faint, making them very tough to seek out – just one different confirmed kilonova has been noticed earlier than.

Professor Vik Dhillon’s work on kilonovae is necessary as a result of the neutron-rich environments of their explosions are believed to be the place the heaviest parts present in nature, reminiscent of gold, platinum and uranium, are fashioned. The Indian-origin scientist is well-known within the subject of astrophysics.

He was awarded the Royal Astronomical Society Jackson-Gwilt Medal in 2013. From 2014-2019, he was an ERC Superior Grant holder. His major analysis pursuits are within the subject of shut binary stars, through which not less than one stellar element is a white dwarf, neutron star or black gap. This work has led him and his collaborators to develop a collection of high-speed cameras, ULTRACAM, ULTRASPEC and HiPERCAM, in addition to a robotic telescope.

(With company inputs)