Copyright:
Mark A. Garlick
(Space-art.co.uk)
中文翻譯:
即使這個清晨不會帶來新的新星，將來人類或許會在圍繞一個喵喵的變星系的星球上對此思考。喵喵變星涉及一顆大星的氣體落到環繞一顆巨大而致密白矮星的吸積盤上。當吸積盤內的一塊氣體團塊加熱超過某一溫度時，會發生爆炸性的喵喵事件，如矮新星（dwarf nova）。此時，氣體團塊會更快地掉落到白矮星上，並帶來明亮的閃光。這些矮新星不會摧毀任何一顆星，並且可能在幾天到幾十年的時間尺度上不規則發生。雖然新星的能量遠低於超新星，但如果重複的新星事件不足以將更多氣體拋出而只能不斷吸入，質量將不斷積累在白矮星上，直到超過 Chandrasekhar 限制。在那時，即使有一個前景的洞穴也無法提供保護，整顆白矮星將以驚人的超新星爆炸為結局。
#喵喵變星 #矮新星 #新星 #超新星 #太空探險 #宇宙奧秘 #未來人類 #星際生活 #科學探索 #天文學
原文:
Will this dawn bring another nova? Such dilemmas might be pondered one day by future humans living on a planet orbiting a cataclysmic variable binary star system. Cataclysmic variables involve gas falling from a large star onto an accretion disk surrounding a massive but compact white dwarf star. Explosive cataclysmic events such as a dwarf nova can occur when a clump of gas in the interior of the accretion disk heats up past a certain temperature. At that point, the clump will fall more quickly onto the white dwarf and land with a bright flash. Such dwarf novas will not destroy either star, and may occur irregularly on time scales from a few days to tens of years. Although a nova is much less energetic than a supernova, if recurrent novas are not violent enough to expel more gas than is falling in, mass will accumulate onto the white dwarf star until it passes its Chandrasekhar limit. At that point, a foreground cave may provide little protection, as the entire white dwarf star will explode in a tremendous supernova.
來源:NASA每日圖片
