Exploding Stars May Be New Type of Supernova

Exploding Stars May Be New Type of Supernova
But astronomers disagree about nature of the blasts

http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceno...ype-.html?etoc


In two papers in tomorrow's issue of Nature, astronomers tackle possible
explanations. In the first, which focuses on SN 2005cz, lead author Koji
Kawabata of Hiroshima University in Japan and colleagues decided to keep
analyzing the explosion's fading light. After 6 months of observations,
they accumulated the telltale sign: a strong spectral signature of
calcium, an element associated only with core-collapse supernovae. Their
studies also showed that, despite NGC 4589's elliptical nature, the
region where SN 2005cz was located showed signs of recent star-making
activity. The upshot, says Kawabata, is that "the findings can be
explained by predictions from standard [core-collapse] theory."

Case closed? Not quite. In the second paper, lead author Hagai Perets of
the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, and colleagues argue that the supernovae represent a
variation on the binary pair theory. But in these two cases, both
supernovae were generated by a low-mass, helium-rich white dwarf instead
of the more common hydrogen-rich white dwarf. Just as in SN 2005cz, the
team found a strong calcium signature in the light of SN 2005E. But they
argue that the signature could also be produced by the thermonuclear
fusion of the added helium with other constituent elements of the
exploded star.

"Sam Wormley" wrote in message
...
Exploding Stars May Be New Type of Supernova
But astronomers disagree about nature of the blasts
http://news.sciencemag.org/scienceno...ype-.html?etoc
In two papers in tomorrow's issue of Nature, astronomers tackle possible
explanations. In the first, which focuses on SN 2005cz, lead author Koji
Kawabata of Hiroshima University in Japan and colleagues decided to keep
analyzing the explosion's fading light. After 6 months of observations,
they accumulated the telltale sign: a strong spectral signature of
calcium, an element associated only with core-collapse supernovae. Their
studies also showed that, despite NGC 4589's elliptical nature, the region
where SN 2005cz was located showed signs of recent star-making activity.
The upshot, says Kawabata, is that "the findings can be explained by
predictions from standard [core-collapse] theory."

Case closed? Not quite. In the second paper, lead author Hagai Perets of
the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics in Cambridge,
Massachusetts, and colleagues argue that the supernovae represent a
variation on the binary pair theory. But in these two cases, both
supernovae were generated by a low-mass, helium-rich white dwarf instead
of the more common hydrogen-rich white dwarf. Just as in SN 2005cz, the
team found a strong calcium signature in the light of SN 2005E. But they
argue that the signature could also be produced by the thermonuclear
fusion of the added helium with other constituent elements of the exploded
star.

hanson wrote:
..... ahahahaha.... there Koji Kawabata et al announce a possible
novelty... and in classical, stereotypical fashion Hagai Perets has
to nuzzle in, in an attempt to get some of the credit... ahahaha

All that "me too" MO started with Perets' ilk, some 3 generations
ago with Einstein, Meitner .. and a whole set of lesser figures who
didn't want to be left behind.... ahahahaha.... Here, in Peret's case
he left the cat out of the bag, by saying "with other constituent
elements" implying Calcium.

Thanks for the laughs, Sam.... ahahahaha.... hahahahanson