Title: Observing Lithium in the Cosmos and Stars

Speaker: Gregory Ruchti, Lund Observatory, Lund University, Sweden

Abstract: Lithium is an extremely interesting, yet puzzling, element.  It is one of four isotopes synthesized immediately after the big bang.  Further, it is produced during nuclear burning in stars.  Thus, it is an important element for our understanding of big bang nucleosynthesis, as well as, for our understanding of the processes that take place in the interiors of stars.  However, lithium has its problems.  There is a discrepancy between the measured primordial Li abundance and predictions from big bang nucleosynthesis theory.  Further,  Li-rich giants, which are unexpected according to stellar evolution theory, have been observed.  I will discuss these issues with an emphasis on Li-rich giants.