Astrophysics (Index)About

electron capture supernova

(supernova from collapse of iron-free stellar cores)

An electron capture supernova is a type different than a Type Ia supernova or the typical core collapse supernova. The type was theorized c1980 by Ken'ichi Nomoto, and an instance was spotted in 2018 (SN 2018zd). They occur in a star with insufficient mass to form an iron stellar core, but still enough to cause some collapse in its degenerate core. Compression induces electron capture, which can release energy, under some circumstances leading to supernova-strength explosions (a foe). This is theorized to occur eventually in main sequence stars within a mass range on the order of 10 solar masses. The Crab Nebula supernova (SN 1054) has been considered an electron capture supernova candidate.


(stars,supernovae,event type,transient type,theory)
Further reading:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernova#Electron-capture_supernovae
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2021NatAs...5..903H/abstract
https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1981IAUS...93..295N/abstract

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