Nan Liu obtained her Ph. D. in Cosmochemistry from the University of Chicago (Department of Geophysical Sciences) in 2014.
Her thesis work focused on understanding the s-process (slow neutron-capture process) nucleosynthesis in asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars through isotopic analysis of heavy elements (Sr, Ba, Nd) in μm-sized mainstream SiC grains using resonance ionization mass spectrometry (RIMS).
She then spent three years working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution for Science, under the direction of Dr. Larry Nittler, where she continued her presolar grain research by combining a suite of microanalytical techniques (NanoSIMS, microRaman, FIB-TEM, and RIMS) for presolar grain analysis with a focus on supernova dust.
Nan’s current research interests include understanding the stellar origins and formation timing of presolar grains and associated AGB and supernova stellar nucleosynthesis, analytical development on isotopic analysis of micron-sized samples, and coordinated microanalysis using different techniques.
Office Contact Info
Laboratory for Space Sciences
Physics Department, CB 1105
Washington University
1 Brookings Drive
St. Louis, MO 63130-4899, USA
Selected Publications
N. Liu, L. Nittler, C. M. O’D. Alexander & J. Wang (2018) Late formation of silicon carbide in type II supernova remnants. Science Advances, in press.
N. Liu, T. Stephan, P. Boehnke, L. R. Nittler, B. S. Meyer, C. M. O’D. Alexander, A. M. Davis, R. Trappitsch & M. J. Pellin (2018) Common occurrence of explosive hydrogen burning in type II supernovae. The Astrophysical Journal, submitted.
N. Liu, A. Steele, L. R. Nittler, R. M. Stroud, B. T. De Gregorio, C. M. O’D. Alexander & J. Wang. (2017) Coordinated EDX and Micro-Raman analysis of presolar silicon carbide: A novel, non-destructive method to identify rare sub-group SiC. Meteoritics & Planetary Science 52, 2550.
N. Liu, T. Stephan, P., Boehnke, L. R. Nittler, C. M. O’D. Alexander, J. Wang, A. M. Davis, R. Trappitsch & M. J. Pellin (2017) J-type carbon stars: A dominant source of 14N-rich presolar SiC grains of type AB. The Astrophysical Journal Letters 844, L12.
N. Liu, L. R. Nittler, M. Pignatari, C. M. O’D. Alexander & J. Wang (2017) Stellar origin of 15N-rich presolar SiC grains of type AB: Supernovae with explosive hydrogen burning. The Astrophysical Journal Letters 842, L1.
T. Stephan, R. Trappitsch, A. M. Davis, M. J. Pellin, D. Rost, M. R. Savina, R. Yokochi & N. Liu. (2016) CHILI−the Chicago Instrument for Laser Ionization−a new tool for isotope measurements in Cosmochemistry. International Journal of Mass Spectrometry 407, 1.
6. N. Liu, L. R. Nittler, C. M. O’D. Alexander, J. Wang, M. Pignatari & J. José. (2016) Stellar origin of extremely 13C- and 15N-enriched presolar grains: Novae or supernovae? The Astrophysical Journal 820, #14.
N. Liu, A. M. Davis, R. Gallino, M. R. Savina, S. Bisterzo, M. J. Pellin & N. Dauphas (2015) The 13C-pockets in AGB stars and their fingerprints in mainstream SiC grains. in Proceedings of 13rd Symposium on Nuclei in the Cosmos PoS (NIC XIII), 083.
A. M. Davis, T. Stephan, M. J. Pellin, D. Rost, R. Trappitsch, M. R. Savina & N. Liu (2015) Nuclear astrophysics with CHILI, the Chicago Instrument for laser ionization. in Proceedings of 13rd Symposium on Nuclei in the Cosmos PoS (NIC XIII), 007.
N. Liu, M. R. Savina, R. Gallino, A. M. Davis, S. Bisterzo, F. Gyngard, F. Käppeler, S. Cristallo, N. Dauphas, M. J. Pellin & I. Dillmann (2015) Correlated strontium and barium isotopic compositions of acid-cleaned single mainstream silicon carbides from Murchison. The Astrophysical Journal 803, #12.
N. Liu, R. Gallino, A. M. Davis, S. Bisterzo, M. R. Savina & M. J. Pellin (2014) The 13C-pocket structure in AGB models: Constraints from zirconium isotope abundances in single mainstream SiC grains. The Astrophysical Journal 788, #163.
N. Liu, M. R. Savina, A. M. Davis, R. Gallino, O. Straniero, F. Gyngard, M. J. Pellin, D. G. Willingham, N. Dauphas, M. Pignatari, S. Bisterzo, S. Cristallo & F. Herwig (2014) Barium isotopic composition of mainstream silicon carbides from Murchison: Constraints for s-process nucleosynthesis in asymptotic giant branch stars. The Astrophysical Journal 786, #66.