Articles tagged with Thermal Runaway Supernovae
A team of astronomers has discovered that at least some thermonuclear (Type Ia) supernovae originate from recurrent novae, contradicting previous theories. The study, led by Ben Dilday, reveals multiple ways to make a Type Ia supernova and has implications for understanding the differences seen in these 'standard candles'.
Researchers have discovered a binary star system, QU Carinae, which may produce a type Ia supernova. The system's white dwarf is accumulating mass from a giant star, producing sodium gas that could be detected after the explosion.
A team of astronomers studied 23 Type Ia supernovae to find signatures of gas around the explosions. They found that more powerful explosions came from systems with outflows of gas, but only a fraction showed evidence for these outflows.
Studies using X-ray and ultraviolet observations from NASA's Swift satellite provide new insights into the elusive origins of Type Ia supernovae. The research suggests that the companion to a white dwarf is either a smaller, younger star similar to our sun or another white dwarf.
A research team at the University of Pittsburgh used the Sloan Digital Sky Survey to determine that the merger of double white dwarfs is a plausible explanation for Type Ia supernovae. The study found that one double white dwarf merger event occurs in the Milky Way about once a century, remarkably close to the rate of observed Type Ia ...
Researchers have confirmed that Type Ia supernovae are produced by the explosion of carbon-oxygen white dwarf stars. By analyzing a fluke observation of SN2011fe four hours after its explosion, scientists set stricter limits on the size of the progenitor star, ruling out other possibilities.
Astronomers using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a distant Type Ia supernova, offering new opportunities to study dark energy. The discovery marks a significant step forward in understanding the mysterious force driving the universe's acceleration.
Astronomers have solved a longstanding mystery on the type of star that caused a Type Ia supernova seen in a nearby galaxy. The Hubble Space Telescope detected faint white dwarf remnants, contradicting previous theories and suggesting two tightly orbiting stars may have collided to trigger the explosion.
A team led by LSU Professor Bradley Schaefer and graduate student Ashley Pagnotta discovered the origin of thermonuclear supernovae as a pair of white dwarf stars. The study resolves the decades-long 'progenitor problem' in astrophysics, with no remaining possible explanations for the explosions.
An international team of scientists has discovered that a recently exploded supernova was a 'white dwarf' star, challenging the long-held theory that it was a red giant. The finding provides direct evidence that white dwarfs are responsible for Type Ia supernovae.
Astronomers detected a nearby Type Ia supernova with unprecedented observation of initial stages, characterizing the nature of forming stars. NSF's Cyber-Enabled Discovery program supported computational framework for rapid detection and characterization.
A team of scientists has observed the early stages of a Type Ia supernova, refining our understanding of these explosive events. The discovery suggests that the primary star was a carbon-oxygen white dwarf, and analysis of matter ejected by the explosion points to a possible subgiant or main-sequence star as the secondary companion.
Astronomers have observed the closest Type Ia supernova in decades, providing direct evidence for what a carbon-oxygen white dwarf looks like before it explodes. The study reveals that the supernova's progenitor was likely a binary system with a small white-dwarf star orbiting a companion.
Researchers used Hubble Space Telescope data to rule out some proposed progenitor systems for Type Ia supernovae. The study suggests that the companion star was likely a normal star like our sun, a subgiant, or possibly a white dwarf.
Astronomers have determined how a Type Ia supernova occurs, involving a dense white dwarf and main-sequence star. The study provides new insights into the universe's expansion and cosmic origins.
A team of researchers performed new 3-D calculations to better understand the complex conditions driving Type Ia supernovae. The simulations provide insight into the deflagration-to-detonation transition process, which is crucial for calculating cosmic distances and understanding the evolution of the universe.
A new survey suggests that many Type Ia supernovae result from the merger of two white dwarf stars, challenging previous theories about their origins. The study, which analyzed data from distant exploding stars, found that these events may be more common than previously thought and could provide insights into the history of the universe.
Astronomers propose a new way to search for supernova precursors by studying the spin of white dwarfs. This process could lead to a time delay of up to a billion years before the explosion, allowing for detection by upcoming surveys.
Astronomers caught the PTF 11kly supernova within hours of its explosion, observing it with multiple telescopes and making it one of the most-studied supernovae in history. The early detection allows researchers to study the outer layers of the supernova and gain new insights into its origin.
Scientists have discovered that about a quarter of Type Ia supernovae are born from medium-sized stars similar to our Sun. This finding challenges the long-held assumption that all Type Ia supernovae have the same luminosity, which is crucial for measuring cosmic distances.
Researchers found evidence of gas outflows from the supernova ancestors, suggesting they don't originate from white dwarfs. This discovery is crucial for understanding Type Ia supernovae and their immense luminosity.
Astrophysicists are using Type Ia supernovae, also known as 'zombie' stars, to build a map of the universe's history and understand dark energy. The stars' explosive deaths can be used to measure distances in the universe.
A new study led by Ryan Foley has found a way to correct for small variations in the appearance of Type Ia supernovae, making them better standard candles. This discovery allows cosmologists to improve their data analysis and make more accurate measurements of dark energy.
Researchers have found a dozen double-star systems consisting of two white dwarfs, with half expected to merge and explode as supernovae. The merged stars will stir space-time, creating gravitational waves and causing them to spiral closer together.
Scientists investigate white dwarf remnants and binary systems to understand supernovae origins. However, the search for accreting white dwarfs yields few results, leading researchers to reconsider their theories.
A new study of supernova remnants shows that their symmetry reveals how a star exploded, allowing astronomers to classify supernovas more accurately. The analysis found circular remnants from Type Ia explosions and asymmetric remnants from core-collapse supernovas.
Astronomers have discovered a possible new type of supernova that occurs when helium flows onto a white dwarf, causing a thermonuclear explosion. The object, dubbed SN 2002bj, is characterized by its rapid rise and fall and strong helium signature.
A team of researchers has created the first full-star simulation of a white dwarf star's final hours leading up to a Type Ia supernova explosion. The simulations, run on supercomputers, provide detailed insights into the process and may be critical in understanding how these massive stellar explosions occur.
Astronomers study SNR 0104, a Type Ia supernova remnant in the Small Magellanic Cloud, showing an unusual structure. The object's two bright lobes of emission suggest strong asymmetry in its formation.
A new method has been found to accurately determine the intrinsic brightness of Type Ia supernovae, enabling better cosmic distance measurements. This breakthrough uses a spectroscopic ratio and eliminates uncertainty caused by intervening dust or host galaxy type.
Researchers are simulating Type Ia supernovas to better understand dark energy, a mysterious force causing the universe's expansion. The Blue Gene/P supercomputer will analyze how burning occurs in four possible scenarios leading to these exploding stars.
Researchers using Chandra X-ray Observatory data have reported a possible detection of a binary star system that was later destroyed in a supernova explosion. The new method provides great promise for finding the detailed origin of these cosmic events.
Researchers suggest that unusual supernovae could confirm the existence of intermediate-mass black holes in globular clusters. The proposed mechanism involves tidal disruption of a white dwarf star by a black hole, causing explosive burning and a unique signature.
The Gruber Cosmology Prize has been awarded to Saul Perlmutter, Brian Schmidt, and their teams for discovering the accelerating expansion of the universe, dominated by mysterious dark energy. The breakthrough was made possible through innovative techniques using distant Type Ia supernovae as standard candles.
Researchers discovered clear changes in interstellar material absorption, indicating the existence of gaseous shells around a white dwarf. The system was likely composed of a white dwarf feeding on its red giant companion, leading to the supernova explosion. This finding strongly supports the Type Ia supernova scenario.
Astronomers have observed two Type II and Type Ia supernovae exploding in the same galaxy just 16 days apart. The rare event is unlikely to be related to anything unusual about the galaxy.
Researchers have discovered that all Type Ia supernovae explode with the same mass and energy, making them useful for measuring distances. The brightness of supernovae depends on the amount of nickel they contain, allowing for more accurate calibration and future distance measurements.
A team of astronomers has solved the long-standing mystery of Kepler's supernova remnant using Chandra's latest image, revealing it as a Type Ia supernova. The discovery sheds light on how stars can end catastrophically and expands our understanding of the universe.
A new study reveals the existence of more than one type of Type Ia supernova, with SNLS-03D3bb being over twice as bright and half as massive as typical examples. This finding opens up new possibilities for understanding these cosmic events.
A new discovery by Pilar Ruiz-Lapuente and colleagues identifies a clear path for Type Ia supernovae to form in binary star systems. The research found that the companion star is similar to our sun, but slightly older and with high heavy-element content, supporting the theory that Type Ia supernovae originate from these systems.
Researchers using European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope discovered a unique type Ia supernova that exploded within a flat, dense disk of dust and gas. The findings suggest that this and other precursors resemble protoplanetary nebulae, which may indicate wide differences among their progenitors.
The study confirms the accelerating expansion of the universe due to dark energy, with data from 11 distant supernovae. It provides more precise measures of matter and dark energy composition in the universe.
Researchers measured the polarization of light emitted by supernova 2001el, detecting slight flattening at peak brightness, and later spherical symmetry. This discovery helps validate Type Ia supernovae as standard candles for cosmology.
Perlmutter's discovery of the universe's accelerating expansion using supernovae as standard candles revolutionized our understanding of the cosmos. His work, done through the Supernova Cosmology Project, has far-reaching implications for our knowledge of the fundamental nature of the universe.
Physicists and astronomers observe distant supernovae to determine the universe is expanding at an accelerating rate, implying a mysterious property of space first proposed by Albert Einstein. The discovery was made possible by a unique collaboration between researchers using supercomputer facilities and powerful telescopes.
Researchers studied 40 distant supernovae to measure the cosmic expansion rate, finding it will expand forever due to insufficient mass for gravity to slow it down. Type Ia supernovae provide natural mile-markers to track trends in the universe's expansion.