Sheffield, UK - A team of scientists, including an Indian-origin astrophysicist at the University of Sheffield in the UK, has made significant strides in unraveling the mystery of how the heaviest chemical elements are formed in the universe. They achieved this breakthrough with the aid of a cutting-edge camera.

Professor Vik Dhillon, who leads the ULTRACAM project in the University of Sheffield's Department of Physics and Astronomy, explained that their camera was the first to precisely locate the gamma-ray burst marking the commencement of a kilonova explosion. A kilonova occurs when two dense neutron stars merge, and these events are pivotal because they are believed to be responsible for the creation of the heaviest elements in the periodic table, such as gold, platinum, and uranium, which are abundant on Earth.

Dhillon stated, "This is only the second confirmed kilonova that has been discovered. Kilonovae are of particular significance as they are thought to be the primary source of the heaviest elements in the periodic table, including gold, platinum, and uranium. This takes us one step closer to comprehending the origin of the heaviest chemical elements in the universe."

This discovery has enabled scientists to activate other telescopes around the world for further observations, including the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). In their research findings published in the journal "Nature," the scientists, including those from the University of Sheffield, observed the distinctive red light emitted by the kilonova, resulting from the absorption of blue light by the heavy elements produced during the explosion.

The presence of heavy elements was confirmed through observations made with the JWST, which detected tellurium in the infrared spectrum of the kilonova. Tellurium, located next to iodine in the periodic table, suggests that significant quantities of iodine, vital for life on Earth, were also generated in the explosion.

Dr. Stuart Littlefair, from the University of Sheffield's Department of Physics and Astronomy, who was involved in the research, explained, "ULTRACAM played a crucial role by being in the right place at the right time. These objects fade rapidly, and detecting the optical light from the merging compact objects requires a sensitive camera mounted on a large telescope. ULTRACAM enabled the identification of the faint optical counterpart and facilitated subsequent observations with other telescopes."