Distribution of Radioactive Potassium-40 Isotope (40K) Produced During Supernovae Explosions
Start Date
August 2025
End Date
August 2025
Location
ALT 303
Abstract
Distribution of Radioactive Potassium-40 Isotope (40K) Produced During Supernovae Explosions
The radioactive isotope Potassium-40 (40K) is a long-lived particle that decays with a half-life of over one billion years. The decay of this isotope drives plate tectonics, which in turn is crucial for the planet’s habitability. An outstanding question is how planets such as ours obtain the levels of 40K needed to drive plate tectonics. One viable possibility is that such levels are achieved through enhancements due to local supernova explosions. Most stars form within large embedded clusters, with the most massive members producing supernovae. These events disperse 40K into the surrounding medium, which, in turn, enriches the discs of nearby forming stars in which planets eventually form. We simulate this scenario computationally by building virtual Molecular Clouds and following their evolution throughout the enrichment process. Specifically, monitoring the amount of 40K produced and subsequently captured by the circumstellar discs of stars within the Giant Molecular Cloud.
Key Words: Star Formation, Embedded Clusters, Long-Lived Radioactive Isotopes
Distribution of Radioactive Potassium-40 Isotope (40K) Produced During Supernovae Explosions
ALT 303
Distribution of Radioactive Potassium-40 Isotope (40K) Produced During Supernovae Explosions
The radioactive isotope Potassium-40 (40K) is a long-lived particle that decays with a half-life of over one billion years. The decay of this isotope drives plate tectonics, which in turn is crucial for the planet’s habitability. An outstanding question is how planets such as ours obtain the levels of 40K needed to drive plate tectonics. One viable possibility is that such levels are achieved through enhancements due to local supernova explosions. Most stars form within large embedded clusters, with the most massive members producing supernovae. These events disperse 40K into the surrounding medium, which, in turn, enriches the discs of nearby forming stars in which planets eventually form. We simulate this scenario computationally by building virtual Molecular Clouds and following their evolution throughout the enrichment process. Specifically, monitoring the amount of 40K produced and subsequently captured by the circumstellar discs of stars within the Giant Molecular Cloud.
Key Words: Star Formation, Embedded Clusters, Long-Lived Radioactive Isotopes
