The study of the origin and evolution of the elements is one of the cornerstones of modern astrophysics. For any given isotope it is crucial to determine its abundance and how that abundance varies temporally and spatially. Knowing the cosmic abundance of the 3He isotope has a broad interdisciplinary impact: 3He can be used to test the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis; 3He gives important information needed to evaluate models of Galactic chemical evolution; 3He can help constrain Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. Dr. Bania (Boston University) and his team will observe a small number, ~10, of new 3He sources with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory's (NRAO) Green Bank Telescope, NRAO's Very Large Array, the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center's Arecibo Observatory, and the Australia Telescope National Facility's Parkes Observatory. Specific questions can be answered by the enhanced spectroscopic sensitivity now available with these instruments. Just a few more, strategically chosen 3He sources can have a great impact in resolving our understanding of the cosmic 3He abundance.
The 3He abundance itself speaks to a wide range of astrophysically important issues. It probes the creation and evolution of the Universe itself, a topic that speaks directly to the public's quest for an understanding of our origins. In addition to training the next generation of radio astronomers, Dr. Bania and his team shall continue to improve techniques for detecting weak microwave spectral lines.
