Intriguing Revelations from Lithium, Beryllium, and Boron

TL;DR

This paper discusses the origins, observation methods, and stellar evolution of lithium, beryllium, and boron, highlighting their roles as probes for understanding stellar interiors and Galactic chemical evolution.

Contribution

It provides a focused overview of recent research highlights on these light elements, emphasizing their production, destruction, and observational challenges.

Findings

Young stars contain more Li due to recent production.

Li, Be, and B are destroyed in stellar interiors at different rates.

These elements serve as probes for stellar interior processes.

Abstract

This is a report on some highlights of some research on the rare light elements, lithium (Li), beryllium (Be), and boron (B), that I presented in my Henry Norris Russell Lecture in January, 2020. It is not a comprehensive review of work on these light elements, but contains sections on Big Bang nucleosynthesis of Li and the rarity of these light elements. It includes information on how they are observed, both historically and currently, and the difficulties entailed in determining their abundances. %It traces the evolution of these elements through the history of the Galaxy. The production of Li, Be, and B is ongoing so the youngest stars contain the most Li, and they have had less time to destroy it. All three elements are readily destroyed in stellar interiors, but have differing degrees of susceptibility to the particular nuclear fusion reactions which deplete their surface content. This feature makes them remarkably good probes into the otherwise unobservable interiors of stars. It also enhances the use of two or more of the three in sorting out the various processes at work in the insides of stars.