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Space & Cosmos

Innovative model offers new way for astronomers to analyze powerful cosmic explosions

The explosion of a massive star leads to the ejection of its outer shell, and this “ejecta” expands outward over time and interacts with the star’s surrounding medium upon its death. This interaction creates two shock waves and a contact discontinuity (collectively known as a “shell”) that dissipates kinetic energy in exchange for producing more light. Eric Coughlin’s new model…