Research reveals the secrets of supernova star dust Urania

Research by a team of scientists has discovered rare dust particles trapped in an ancient extraterrestrial meteorite that formed from a star other than the Sun.

This discovery was made by the lead author a job While studying for their doctorates at Curtin, Dr. Nicole Neville and her colleagues are currently working at the Lunar and Planetary Science Institute in collaboration with NASA's Johnson Space Center.

Meteorites They basically consist of matter that is formed in us Solar System They may also contain small particles of stars that formed long before our sun.

Evidence that these particles, known as presolar grains, are leftovers from other stars, can be found by analyzing the different types of elements found within them.

Dr. Neville used a technique called atom probe tomography to analyze the molecule and reconstruct the chemistry at the atomic level, accessing the information hidden within.

These particles are like celestial time capsules, providing snapshots of the life of their host star Neville said.

The matter that originates in our solar system has predictable ratios of isotopes – different types of elements with different numbers of neutrons. The molecule we analyzed has a magnesium isotope ratio unlike anything in our solar system.

“The results were literally off the scale. The most extreme magnesium isotope ratio from previous studies of presolar grains was about 1,200. The grain in our study is 3,025, the highest ever discovered.

This exceptionally high isotopic ratio can only be explained by the formation of a recently discovered type of star – a hydrogen-burning supernova.

Co-author Dr David Saxey, from the John D. Laiter Center at Curtin, said: “This research opens up new possibilities for understanding the universe, pushing the boundaries of both analytical techniques and astrophysical models.

The nuclear probe gave us a whole level of detail that we couldn't reach in previous research Dr. Saksi said.

A hydrogen-burning supernova is a type of star that was only recently discovered, around the same time we were analyzing the tiny dust particle. The use of an atomic probe in this study provides a new level of detail, helping us understand how these stars form.

Co-author, Prof. Phil Bland, from the Curtin School of Earth and Planetary Sciences, said: “New discoveries from these studies of rare particles in meteorites allow us to gain insight into cosmic events outside our solar system.

It is simply amazing to be able to combine atomic-scale measurements in the laboratory with a recently discovered type of star.

development:
Agnieszka Novak

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Source: Curtin University

In the illustration: Remnants of a supernova explosion. Source: Curtin University