Astronomers may have found a strange new kind of cosmic explosion

Astronomers detect mysterious cosmic explosion that defies classification, potentially revealing a new type of stellar cataclysm dubbed a 'superkilonova.' | Contesto: cronaca

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• Astronomers may have found a strange new kind of cosmic explosion

Contesto

A mysterious cosmic explosion detected by astronomers is challenging existing models of stellar death, as the event initially appeared to be a kilonova—the rare collision of neutron stars that produces heavy elements like gold and uranium—but then shifted behavior, hinting at an entirely new kind of cataclysm now being called a 'superkilonova.' The event was first flagged after gravitational wave observatories detected ripples in space-time, prompting telescopes to scan the region. What they found was a fast-fading red glow that matched the signature of a kilonova, a phenomenon observed only a handful of times before. But within days, the signal changed, taking on characteristics more typical of a supernova, the explosive death of a massive star. This unexpected shift has left researchers puzzled, as no known cosmic event fits both descriptions. The discovery was made by an international team of astronomers who have been analyzing data from the event, which occurred in a distant galaxy. The initial detection of gravitational waves suggested the merger of two dense objects, such as neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole. Such mergers are known to produce kilonovae, which are brief but powerful explosions that eject heavy elements into space. However, the subsequent brightening and spectral evolution observed in this event did not match the expected rapid fading of a kilonova. Instead, the object grew brighter over several days, resembling a supernova, which is typically powered by the collapse of a massive star's core. This dual nature has led some researchers to propose that they may have witnessed a completely new phenomenon. If confirmed, the event would represent the first observation of a 'superkilonova,' a term coined by some scientists to describe a hybrid explosion that combines elements of both kilonovae and supernovae. One leading hypothesis is that the explosion resulted from the merger of a neutron star with a white dwarf, a stellar remnant that is less dense than a neutron star but still capable of triggering a massive explosion. Another possibility is that the event involved a neutron star being torn apart by a black hole, with the debris...

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Categoria: cronaca