Caption: An artist’s depiction of a supernova blast wave colliding with the molecular cloud filament during the formation of our Sun. (Credit: NAOJ)
Recent findings based on isotope ratios in meteorites provide evidence of a nearby supernova explosion that occurred during the early stages of our Sun and Solar System’s development. This catastrophic event had the potential to annihilate the young solar system entirely.
New calculations now shed light on the crucial role played by a filament of molecular gas, which acted as a protective cocoon during the birth of our Solar System. This filament not only captured the isotopes discovered in meteorites but also shielded the nascent Solar System from the destructive forces of the nearby supernova blast.
Primitive meteorites offer valuable insights into the conditions present during the formation of the Sun and planets. Within these meteorites, there is an uneven distribution of a radioactive isotope of aluminum.
This disparity indicates that an additional amount of radioactive aluminum was introduced shortly after the formation of the Solar System. The most likely source for this infusion of new radioactive isotopes is a nearby supernova explosion.
However, a supernova close enough to account for the observed isotopes in meteorites would have generated a blast wave capable of tearing apart the young Solar System.
Led by Doris Arzoumanian at the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, a research team has proposed a novel explanation for how the Solar System managed to accumulate the measured isotope levels while surviving the shock of the supernova. Stars are born within massive clusters found in vast clouds of molecular gas.
These molecular clouds take on a filamentary structure, with smaller stars like the Sun forming along the filaments, while larger stars that eventually explode as supernovae typically form at the intersection points of multiple filaments.
Assuming that the Sun formed along a dense molecular gas filament, and a supernova exploded nearby at one of the filament intersections, the team’s calculations indicate that it would have taken at least 300,000 years for the blast wave to disperse the dense filament encircling the developing Solar System.
The radioactive isotope-enriched components of meteorites likely formed within the first approximately 100,000 years of Solar System formation within the protective embrace of the dense filament. This parent filament possibly acted as a buffer, safeguarding the young Sun and facilitating the capture of radioactive isotopes from the supernova blast wave, channeling them into the still-forming Solar System.
Reference: “Insights on the Sun Birth Environment in the Context of Star Cluster Formation in Hub–Filament Systems” by Doris Arzoumanian, Sota Arakawa, Masato I. N. Kobayashi, Kazunari Iwasaki, Kohei Fukuda, Shoji Mori, Yutaka Hirai, Masanobu Kunitomo, M. S. Nanda Kumar and Eiichiro Kokubo, 25 April 2023, The Astrophysical Journal Letters.
DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/acc849
Table of Contents
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about supernova survival
Q: What evidence suggests that a supernova explosion occurred near our Solar System during its formation?
A: The evidence comes from isotope ratios found within meteorites. The concentration of a radioactive isotope of aluminum in meteorites suggests that it was introduced shortly after the Solar System began forming, with a nearby supernova explosion being the most likely source.
Q: How did the nascent Solar System survive the destructive forces of the nearby supernova explosion?
A: The survival of the Solar System was facilitated by a filament of molecular gas, which acted as a shield. This dense filament not only trapped the isotopes found in meteorites but also protected the young Sun by absorbing and dissipating the energy of the supernova blast wave.
Q: How long did it take for the blast wave from the supernova to disperse the dense molecular gas filament?
A: According to calculations, it would have taken at least 300,000 years for the blast wave to break up the dense filament surrounding the forming Solar System.
Q: What role did the dense molecular gas filament play in the accumulation of radioactive isotopes in the Solar System?
A: The dense filament acted as a buffer, helping to protect the young Sun and capture the radioactive isotopes from the supernova blast wave. This facilitated the enrichment of meteorite components with these isotopes during the initial 100,000 years of Solar System formation.
Q: How do stars form in relation to molecular gas filaments?
A: Stars typically form within large clusters found in molecular gas clouds. Smaller stars like the Sun tend to form along the filaments, while larger stars that eventually explode as supernovae often form at the intersections of multiple filaments.
More about supernova survival
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ): Website
- The Astrophysical Journal Letters: Article
3 comments
wow this text is super cool like, the Sun and Solar System forming while a supernova went boom nearby! that’s crazy!! and that filamnt of gas, like, it shielded the solar system & caught the radioactive isotpes. mind = blown!! #spacestuff
I never knew meteorites could tell us so much about the early solar system. This text is a geek’s dream! The protective filament and the radioactive isotopes are just so fascinating. #nerdingout
omg supernova explosion nearly destroyed our solr system? whaaaat?! thank goodness for that dense gas filamet & meteorites saving the day. stars forming in giant clusters in gas clouds is just, like, mind-blowing. #cosmicwonders