From collisions to stellar cannibalism – the incredible variety of exploding white dwarfs

Astrophysicists evaluated almost 4,000 such events, which were photographed in detail by next-generation astronomical surveys, and then revealed the incredible diversity in the way white d-star stars explode in the deep sea. I excavated it. Their discoveries may help us to measure space distance more accurately and further measure our knowledge about “dark energy.”

The dramatic explosion of white stars at the end of their lives played a pivotal role in the study of dark energy for decades. It also provides the origins of many elements in our periodic table, such as titanium, iron, and nickel. These form in extremely dense hot conditions that are present during the explosion.

The release of key datasets and 21 related publications has achieved major milestones by understanding these explosive transients.

This unique dataset of nearly 4,000 nearby supernovas is many times larger than previous similar samples, allowing for important breakthroughs in understanding how these white dwarfs explode. I did. This sample was obtained by the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), a California astronomical sky survey with important involvement of researchers led by Professor Kate Maguire of the Faculty of Physics. Ta.

“Thanks to ZTF’s unique ability to scan the sky quickly and deeply, it was possible to discover new explosions of stars one million times more than the dimest star visible to the naked eye,” says Professor Maguire.

One important outcome led by the Trinity group is the discovery that there are multiple exotic ways that white dwarfs can explode, including a two-star collision with bright star glasses, and their companions It involves cannibalism of the stars due to the use of the star. Double Star System.

This is only possible with this sample, as it can be discovered by combining very faint blips and large sample sizes. And as amazing diversity critically demands that these explosions can be standardized, surprising diversity could affect the use of these supernovas to measure space distance.

“The diversity of the way white stars explode is much greater than previously expected, and as a result, they are so timid that they are bright enough to see for months or months afterwards. It brings an explosion that is barely visible to humans,” the professor says. .