Habitable Worlds Observatory: The Nature of the Astrophysical r-process

TL;DR

This paper advocates for using the Habitable Worlds Observatory's high-resolution UV spectroscopy to study the origins of the heaviest elements produced by the r-process, expanding our understanding of their astrophysical sites.

Contribution

It proposes leveraging HWO's capabilities to significantly increase detection of r-process elements in various stellar environments, advancing nucleosynthesis research.

Findings

UV spectroscopy increases detectable r-process elements by over 50%.

HWO can expand studies to the Galactic halo, globular clusters, and dwarf galaxies.

Enhanced detection helps identify r-process sites and conditions.

Abstract

We present the science case for characterizing the origin of the heaviest elements on the periodic table, with a focus on those produced by the rapid neutron-capture process (r-process), using the Habitable Worlds Observatory (HWO). High-resolution ultraviolet (UV) spectroscopy can increase the number of r-process elements detectable in cool stars by more than 50% relative to optical and infrared spectra. These elements are key to characterizing the physical conditions that govern the r-process and identify the nature, sites, and environments where r-process events occurred. HWO has the potential to greatly expand the sample of stars where rarely studied heavy elements can be detected beyond the Solar neighborhood to the Galactic halo, globular clusters, and dwarf galaxies.