They found the missing link between supernovae and black holes

When it comes to missing links, the following come to mind: Human evolution. However, an international team of scientists has just found another very interesting missing link. The one who stands between supernovae and black holes. For many years, astrophysicists believed that supernova explosion may arise black hole or neutron star. However, I was unable to take a photograph to confirm the truth of this hypothesis.

Now there are still no photos, literally, but for the first time there is a lot of evidence that collectively demonstrates that this connection between supernovae and black holes was true.

The most curious thing is that it all started from observing amateur astronomer. Without knowing it, in 2022 a South African named Berto Monrad This became the first piece of the puzzle, which was subsequently worked on faithfully by two independent groups of astrophysicists. The data from both managed to fill in the missing pieces, and it seems that, although it cannot be 100% certain, with this we are faced with that long-awaited missing link.

From supernovae to black holes

Stars go through several stages during their long lives. Its birth occurs first when a collection of dust and gas rich in helium and hydrogen in the nebula condenses and collapses. At this stage we encounter what is known as protostar. After this, it is gradually heated until it reaches a temperature suitable for the procedure. thermonuclear reaction.

In this process, as the name suggests, the nuclei of light atoms fuse to form heavier ones. Stars use nuclear fusion of atoms as fuel.and hydrogen. That’s what he said very roughsupports lit star. Nuclear fusion could greatly expand the star, but the object’s own gravity, being a very massive object, compensates for this effect and keeps it within certain limits.

Everything continues like this until fuel is running low. As a result, the star loses mass and its gravity is no longer sufficient to prevent its expansion. Two things can happen here, depending on its mass. If it is a medium-sized star, then when there is no fuel left, its outer layers will separate, leaving only the core, which we know as white Dwarf. On the other hand, if it is much more massive, then when its fuel is consumed, an explosion occurs, known as supernova.

The current hypothesis is that only the superdense core of the star would remain initially, which in less massive cases would lead to the formation of a neutron star, and in extremely massive cases to a black hole. This was traditionally thought. But that missing link was missing. A series of works linking supernova explosions with the birth of neutron stars or black holes. And thanks to a just published study, these fragments have been brought to life.

From amateurs to professionals

In May 2022, Berto Monrad reported the discovery of a supernova, called SN 2022jliin the spiral arm of a neighboring galaxy NGK 157, 75 million light years away. This attracted the attention of two separate groups of scientists who focused on analyzing the effects of said explosion and discovered a unique behavior.

On the one hand, amazing data were observed in its brightness. Usually, after a supernova explosion, its brightness decreases gradually, without disturbance. However, in this case, the first group of scientists, based on Queen’s Universityin Belfast observed some fluctuations interesting. As the brightness decreased, fluctuations occurred approximately every 12 days. For the first time, such oscillations over several periods were observed in a supernova. This, like any other star, would indicate the presence companion star which orbits around it, preventing its brightness from reaching telescopes every time it passes in front of them.

This is what is known as binary system and this is very common. How could a companion star survive a spectacular supernova explosion? The answer was made possible thanks to data obtained by a team led by Weizmann Institute of Science, From Israel. They observed the same vibration, but also something else. In particular, they saw periodic movements of hydrogen gas and gamma-ray bursts in the system.

Almost complete puzzle

Combining all this data leads to a conclusion that both teams agree on. As the companion star interacted with material ejected during the supernova explosion, its hydrogen-rich atmosphere became more bloated than normal. Later, when the compact object remaining after the explosion passed through the atmosphere of the satellite in its orbit, stole hydrogen, forming a hot disk of matter around itself. This periodic theft of matter released a lot of energy, which would be collected in the form of regular changes in brightness over the course of observations. And this energy theft could suddenly only correspond to a neutron star or a black hole.

We still have more to learn

Two independent groups of scientists have reached the same conclusion about supernovae and black holes. This is the closest we have ever been to the desired missing link. However, it is true that nothing can be stated with certainty and it would be advisable to more researchboth in this system and in another that contributes to this.

In any case, the results obtained so far are impressive. And it is not only human evolution that has missing links, the search for which has become almost the Holy Grail.