The latest "Humans of JILA" podcast episode features an insightful discussion with JILA graduate student and astrophysical researcher Tatsuya Akiba. Working under the mentorship of JILA Fellow and Assistant Professor Ann-Marie Madigan, Akiba delves into their recent research on white dwarf stars.

White dwarf stars represent a typical final evolutionary stage for many stars, including our Sun. Despite their well-understood life cycle, these stars present a persistent puzzle to astronomers: the presence of heavy metal pollution on their surfaces. This anomaly suggests that white dwarfs are accreting material from their surroundings, yet the exact mechanisms remain elusive.

In this episode, Akiba explains how they use sophisticated computer simulations to investigate this phenomenon. Their research aims to uncover the processes leading to this chemical pollution and offers new insights into the life cycles of these enigmatic celestial bodies.

We invite you to listen to this compelling episode on YouTube or Spotify (see below) and read the detailed article accompanying this podcast for a deeper understanding of the research.

Written by Kenna Hughes-Castleberry, JILA Science Communicator