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Massive Stars Explode, Leaving Zero Trace Behind
3 Apr
Summary
- Certain enormous stars may explode, leaving absolutely nothing behind.
- Researchers found a 'forbidden range' of black hole masses.
- This 'pair-instability supernova' was theorized decades ago.
The explosive death of certain enormous stars may result in absolutely nothing remaining, according to new research. Scientists have long theorized about these ultra-powerful supernovas, and now indirect evidence suggests they may occur. These events are predicted for stars with masses around 140 to 260 times that of the sun.
These massive stars burn intensely and briefly, exploding after only a few million years. While most large stars leave behind a neutron star or black hole, a pair-instability supernova obliterates the star entirely. Researchers analyzed data from 153 black hole mergers and found an absence of black holes within a specific mass range (44 to 116 solar masses).
This 'forbidden range' supports the theory of pair-instability supernovas, a rare and violent stellar death. The extreme conditions within these stars cause photons to convert into electron-positron pairs, weakening core stability and leading to a total explosion. This finding offers the strongest indication yet of these theorized cosmic events.
