The Life Cycle of Dust in the Galaxy

Explore the fascinating journey of cosmic dust in this 50-minute plenary talk delivered by Aki Takigawa from the University of Tokyo at the JpGU-AGU 2020 conference. Delve into the life cycle of stars and dust grains, understanding their role as carriers of metallic elements and building blocks of our Solar System. Examine astronomical observations of dust emission in protoplanetary disks and comets, and learn about laboratory synthesis of amorphous silicates. Investigate dust sources in the galaxy, including evolved stars, and study the interior structure of presolar grains. Analyze dust processing in the interstellar medium, including grain-grain collisions and interstellar dust formation. Gain comprehensive insights into the size distribution of dust in the ISM and its significance in shaping our understanding of the universe.