Neutron Stars: The Key to Gold and Platinum in the Universe!

Neutron Stars: The Key to Gold and Platinum in the Universe!

On June 3, 2025, Tim Dietrich, Professor of Theoretical Astrophysics at the University of Potsdam, expressed his desire to visit neutron stars with a spacecraft. These extremely dense, compact objects are formed in the supernova explosions of massive stars and briefly shine as brightly as an entire galaxy. Their density is breathtaking: a teaspoon of material from a neutron star can weigh up to a billion tons. The majority of these fascinating celestial bodies are located in binary star systems. They lose energy until they finally collide, releasing incredible amounts of energy. The first observed collision of neutron stars took place on August 17, 2017, when both gravitational waves and light signals were detected, marking a milestone in modern astronomy. This was the event GW170817, which occurred outside our Milky Way and detected the light signal from a neutron star collision in the galaxy NGC 4993.

During such collisions, new elements are created - including heavy elements such as gold and platinum. These processes are complex and fascinating; they target the production of gamma rays like those observed during the collision. In the 2017 collision, astronomical detectors, such as the LIGO detectors in Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana, detected a significant amount of gravitational waves. These were recorded over a period of around 100 seconds. The measurement was supplemented by the Virgo detector, which made the localization of the signal more precise. Just 1.7 seconds later, the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM) satellites on board the Fermi satellite detected the accompanying gamma-ray burst.

Discoveries and theories surrounding neutron star collisions

The discovery of GW170817 marks the beginning of multi-messenger astronomy. This novel method combines different signals to better understand the universe. The simultaneous measurement of gravitational waves and light signals provided important evidence for Einstein's theory of relativity. The probability that the coincidence of gravitational waves and gamma rays occurs by chance is given as 1 in 200 million. The event confirms the theory that neutron star mergers are the main source of heavier elements, particularly r-process elements.

However, the discovery of gravitational waves is just the tip of the iceberg. Research from the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics shows that the mechanisms behind the generation of magnetic fields in merging neutron stars can be explained through computer simulations. These simulations reveal that neutron stars, which are only about 20 kilometers in diameter, are capable of generating strong magnetic fields. These magnetohydrodynamic processes show that two mechanisms contribute to the strengthening of the magnetic field: the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and the magnetic rotational instability, which act like a dynamo.

About 60 milliseconds after the merger, a jet is ejected across the poles of the resulting magnetar, which is responsible for producing kilonova radiation. These impressive phenomena show that neutron star collisions not only produce spectacular gravitational waves and light signals, but also a variety of elements and magnetic fields - all aspects that continue to fascinate astrophysics and provide new scope for discovery.

For the future, the idea of ​​traveling with a spaceship to such events in other galaxies remains more than just a dream. The concept of a warp drive, which could theoretically enable faster than light speeds, is based on the physical formulas of general relativity. But until we can undertake such journeys, the collision between neutron stars remains a fascinating and complex topic for astronomy.