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Date: 17 Nov 2006 05:28:47
From: Sam Wormley
Subject: Supernova Remnant Acts as a Particle Accelerator
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Supernova Remnant Acts as a Particle Accelerator
http://www.universetoday.com/2006/11/15/supernova-remnant-acts-as-a-particle-accelerator/
November 15th, 2006
Instead of investing in particle accelerators here on Earth, physicists
might consider just blowing up a few stars. New images taken by the
Chandra X-Ray Observatory show how supernova remnant Cassiopeia A acts
as a natural particle accelerator, firing out cosmic rays. As particles
move around the remnant, they\u2019re accelerated by the tremendous
magnetic fields, eventually nearing the speed of light. The images from
Chandra show that the particles are being accelerated to the maximum
rate predicted by theories.
New clues about the origins of cosmic rays, mysterious high-energy
particles that bombard the Earth, have been revealed using NASA\u2019s
Chandra X-ray Observatory. An extraordinarily detailed image of the
remains of an exploded star provides crucial insight into the
generation of cosmic rays.
For the first time, astronomers have mapped the rate of acceleration of
cosmic ray electrons in a supernova remnant. The new map shows that the
electrons are being accelerated at close to the theoretically maximum
rate. This discovery provides compelling evidence that supernova
remnants are key sites for energizing charged particles.
See: http://www.universetoday.com/2006/11/15/supernova-remnant-acts-as-a-particle-accelerator/
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Date: 17 Nov 2006 12:26:33
From: Ernie Dunbar
Subject: Re: Supernova Remnant Acts as a Particle Accelerator
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Sam Wormley wrote:
> Instead of investing in particle accelerators here on Earth, physicists
> might consider just blowing up a few stars.
Gee, is that all? :) That's a piece of cake!
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Date: 17 Nov 2006 23:03:32
From: Ioannis
Subject: Re: Supernova Remnant Acts as a Particle Accelerator
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"Ernie Dunbar" <wallace.n.grommet@gmail.com > wrote in message
news:1163795193.775991.150120@e3g2000cwe.googlegroups.com...
>
>
> Sam Wormley wrote:
>
> > Instead of investing in particle accelerators here on Earth, physicists
> > might consider just blowing up a few stars.
>
> Gee, is that all? :) That's a piece of cake!
From what I remember from my courses, stable stars are in QHE. Expanding the
core slows the core's fusion rate and contracting the core increases in the
core's fusion rate, in the first case gravity and in the second case the
fusion's pressure gradient bringing the core back to normal, should any
perturbation occur.
I wonder if there is any physical process, apart from the obvious
nova/supernova/star interaction routines that can blow up a star in QHE. And
by star interaction I exclude another star passing closeby to a star in QHE.
Seems to me like most man-made processes would be trivial and would leave a
star unaffected. Probably even if we could throw the entire solar system into
the sun, the sun would hardly care.
Theoretical solutions, like pumping the star with 10^52 tons of iron don't
count, because we don't have such capabilities.
Any physicists can speculate?
--
Ioannis
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The best way to predict reality, is to know exactly what you DON'T want.
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