One of the most energetic events in the universe, “standard candle” (or Type Ia) supernova explosions occur when a dense white dwarf star swallows another star.
And now scientists believe they have found the first evidence of such a supernova on Earth.
The claim came after careful study of the outer rock of Hypatia found in Egypt in 1996. New signs, including the chemical composition and pattern of the rock, suggest that the fragments contain pieces of dust and gas clouds surrounding the Ia supernova.
Extraterrestrial Stone Found in Egypt May Be First Evidence of Rare Supernova in the World https://t.co/UF1J9GYJWr
– ScienceAlert (@ScienceAlert) 18 May 2022
Over billions of years, this mixture of dust and gas will harden, eventually forming the main body that originated from Hypatia when our solar system first appeared, researchers say.
Using detailed, non -destructive chemical analysis techniques, the team analyzed 17 different targets in a small sample of Hypatia. From there, it’s about collecting clues about where the rock is and how it formed.
These clues contain unusually low levels of silicon, chromium, and manganese, suggesting that the rocks were not formed in the internal solar system. The researchers also observed high levels of iron, sulfur, phosphorus, copper and vanadium, which redefines the body in space from anything in our region.
Looking at the concentration patterns of Hypatia, there are noticeable differences from what we expect to form in rocks in the Solar System.
The researchers also showed that Hypatia did not match what would be expected if it originated from a Type II supernova with more iron than silicon and calcium, leaving an intriguing possibility that they were remnants of a Type Ia supernova. The first supernova existed on this planet.
Based on what we know about Type Ia supernovae, they must produce very unusual concentration patterns for elements in rocks such as Hypatia. Extensively researching stellar data and modeling, the team could not find a better match for the rock.
Of the 15 elements analyzed in the rock, many matched what would be expected if the object came from the explosion of a dense white dwarf star.
However, this is not yet a closed case. The other six elements do not correspond to Type 1a supernova patterns: aluminum, phosphorus, chlorine, potassium, copper, and zinc. But researchers believe that something in the supernova’s past may explain it.
We will need more research to determine the science, but at this point it certainly looks like this magical stone has come a long way.
The research was published in Icarus.
Source: Science Alert
Source: Arabic RT
