Yale Junior Leads Key Research on Stardust Formation
Yale junior Donglin Wu is the lead author of a scientific journal article focusing on stardust.
Stardust consists of tiny solid grains that form from stellar winds, drift into interstellar space, and can eventually become components of new planets.
Wu's Study on the WR 112 System
Wu's study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, analyzed observational data on WR 112, a binary star system. This system contains a massive Wolf-Rayet star, known for its unusual spectra and relatively short life span. The intensely hot Wolf-Rayet star orbits another companion star within this system.
How Stardust Forms in Binary Systems
Together, these stars emit powerful stellar winds that collide, creating dense, cooling regions where dust forms. This newly formed dust is subsequently scattered into interstellar space by the intense starlight.