Simulation of Radioactive Debris from Merger (VIDEO)

University of California - Berkeley

Caption

Neutron star mergers produce massive amounts of heavy elements, such as gold, platinum and uranium. This simulation by a UC Berkeley/Berkeley Lab team shows what astronomers would see following the merger: blue emissions from lighter elements squirted out the poles, followed by red emissions from heavier elements in the cloud of radioactive debris spewed out during the collision.

Credit

Dan Kasen, UC Berkeley and Berkeley Lab

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