Overview

• A study using archival data from NASA and ESA satellites confirms magnetar starquakes as an r-process site for heavy element creation, including gold and platinum.
• The 2004 flare from magnetar SGR 1806-20 produced about one-millionth of the Sun's mass in heavy elements, equivalent to one-third of Earth's mass.
• Magnetar flares, triggered by crustal fractures in highly magnetized neutron stars, are now estimated to contribute up to 10% of the Milky Way's heavy elements.
• This marks only the second direct observational proof of r-process nucleosynthesis beyond neutron star mergers, reshaping understanding of cosmic chemical evolution.
• Future missions like NASA's COSI, launching in 2027, aim to detect and characterize similar flares, further refining their role in the formation of heavy elements.