Events at Physics |
plays a major role in the evolution of the universe and on our
capability to observe it. Despite recent advances, some fundamental aspects of the physics of formation of cosmic dust are still poorly understood. This leads, for example, to theoretical predictions of dust yields from supernova explosions that are at least two orders of magnitude larger than observed. In this talk I will use carbonaceous dust formation in core-collapse supernovae as a case study to discuss
the current status and recent advances on our understanding of the
physical and chemical mechanisms at the base of the gas-solid phase transition in the astrophysical environment. I will discuss different approaches to the problem and compare their results to available observations. I will conclude by introducing a new framework for studying the outcomes of collisions between dust agglometates to study their compactification, growth, and fragmentation.