Date of Award

Spring 2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Department

Physics and Astronomy

First Advisor

Varsha Kulkarni

Abstract

The universe is made up of a vast and diverse collection of elements. All elements with atomic mass number A > 12, ranging from carbon to iron, are continuously enriched over the course of galactic evolution through stellar nucleosynthesis. In contrast, elements heavier than 56 Fe are primarily synthesized via neutron-capture processes, occurring in Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB) stars, core-collapse supernovae, and more extreme events such as binary neutron star mergers. These elements are later expelled into the surrounding space through powerful supernova explosions. Overtime, these processes enrich the interstellar medium with heavy elements and thus plays an important role in the chemical evolution of galaxies. To understand the formation and evolution of a galaxy, it is essential to study its chemical composition in detail. One of the most effective ways to do this is by analyzing the absorption lines present in the spectra of a background quasar. These absorption lines act as valuable tracers of the elements within the galaxy. In particular, the ratio of isotopic abundances provides crucial insights into the nuclear reaction rates, stellar population and the contribution of different types of stars to the chemical enrichment of the galaxy.As a part of this research, we conduct a systematic analysis of the spectra of eight damped Lyman-alpha (DLA) galaxies located at a redshift ≈ 2. Our primary objective is to estimate the relative abundances of the carbon isotopes i.e,13 C and 12 C, by examining their spectral absorption features. For this study, we utilize high-resolution spectra obtained from the ESPRESSO telescope, which offers an impressive resolution of 140000. This exceptional spectral resolution allows for more precise measurements of isotopic abundances, enabling a deeper understanding of the chemical processes shaping the evolution of these distant galaxies.

Rights

© 2026, Karthik Gananath Putha

Download

Included in

Physics Commons

Share

COinS