In 2022, humans witnessed the brightest space burst in history The gamma-ray burst known as the GRB 221009A event was more than 2 billion light-years away from Earth and was still powerful enough to affect the atmosphere of Earth. Astronomers have now found out more about the supernova that caused the gamma-ray burst, but they haven’t found any heavy elements around it, leaving a new astronomical mystery.
In October 2022, an international astronomical team observed the brightest gamma-ray burst (GRB) event in history: GRB 221009A The burst lasted about 7 minutes Although it was more than 2 billion light years away from Earth, it emitted photons towards the Earth.
Because this gamma-ray burst was so bright, a team led by Northwestern University waited another six months for the GRB to fade before using the Webb Space Telescope to observe the supernova. it was taken out at the beginning of the explosion, further confirming that this event, nicknamed. the BOAT gamma ray burst event results from the collapse and explosion of a massive star.
GRB 221009A
Image Credit: NASA, DOE, Fermi LAT Collaboration
More: https://t.co/VMB9nogN6c
The gamma-ray burst GRB 221009A appears to mark the birth of a new black hole, formed at the core of a long-collapsing star in the distant universe. The extremely powerful explosion pic.twitter.com/bIlSXHvkEE– The Black Hole (@constructivizm) August 12, 2023
▲ A 10-hour snapshot of the GRB 221009A event observed by the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope.
This discovery solved one mystery, but deepened another: supernovae that produce gamma-ray bursts are one of the ways in which heavy elements are created in the universe After an event GRB 221009A, it should have become a cosmic gold mine that heavy elements such as platinum and gold were found within the field however, no matter how much we searched, even if we found we properties of common elements in supernovae (oxygen, calcium, etc.), we could not find any elements. heavier than iron.
It is currently known that the main source of heavy elements in the universe is the collision of double neutron stars However, the proportion of neutron star collisions is very rare. Therefore, astronomers believe that R- will also occur in the supernova explosion process (fast neutron capture process) to create heavy elements.
However, while GRB 221009A is an unprecedented gamma ray burst, its supernova is surprisingly normal. it may not continue.
However, the researchers explained, even if heavy elements were not found around the supernova source of the GRB 221009A event, that does not mean that scientists should stop searching for heavy elements from supernovae other environment from other supernovae.
The team’s next step is to use the Webb Space Telescope to observe other supernovae, compare different luminosities, chemical elements, and host galaxy properties to determine how unusual GRB 221009A is, and more determine the conditions for the formation of heavy elements in the universe.
new paperPublished in the journal Nature Astronomy.
(Source of first image:Northwestern University)
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