Seminar: On the formation of stardust grains

Stellar dust grains are formed in vigorous amounts in the atmospheres of comparatively cool evolved stars. The first steps of their formation (i.e. nucleation) proceed via molecular precursors and nano-sized clusters that eventually compose the stardust grains. However, the nucleation of these condensates represents a major challenge in current research. The nature of the dust-forming molecules and clusters depends on the chemical composition of the gas and the ambient conditions that are radically different from Earth.

In this talk I will present the progress and challenges in modeling the formation and growth of astrophysical dust particles with a particular emphasis on metal oxides.

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There will be fika after the seminar!