- #1
ericwdhs
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Hey guys. This is my first post here and I hope many more will follow. Now on to the topic at hand…
I’ve been doing some research into the solar system’s formation and evolution. As many of you are probably aware, the solar system’s heavier elements are believed to be the remnants of a massive star that went supernova prior to the solar system’s formation. Usually, this supernova is said to have occurred nearby (within a few light-years) with the implication being that our solar system formed from the small portion of the original mass that blew our direction and the rest of the mass (along with the resulting white dwarf/neutron star/black hole) drifted off elsewhere. What never really seems to be discussed is whether or not it’s possible that our solar system formed right at the site of the supernova, particularly around the white dwarf left over from the event. (A neutron star or black hole seems to be out of the question.) That makes the most critical question: Is it possible for a white dwarf to accumulate enough matter to “jump start” the star (restart a nuclear reaction within the core) and for it to once again look like a main sequence star like our Sun afterwards?
To elaborate, here’s a particular scenario I’m envisioning which I’m hoping won’t contain too many impossibilities to iron out:
Around 5 billion years ago, a star of 8 or more solar masses (near the minimum needed) goes supernova. Most of the matter achieves escape velocity and is never seen in the area again. A white dwarf of about 0.25 to 0.5 solar masses remains along with about 1 solar mass of other material (mostly hydrogen) that didn’t reach escape velocity. The white dwarf, a dense composition of primarily oxygen and carbon close to the size of Earth, accumulates enough of this matter to bring it up to 1 solar mass. The temperature and pressure increase to the point where nuclear fusion begins. The Sun expands to its current volume and the density no longer resembles that of a white dwarf.
The materials intermix in the core, with hydrogen undergoing fusion into helium and oxygen and carbon serving only as buffer material (possibly responsible for the Sun’s low power output per volume and as an aid to its stability). The oxygen and carbon of the original white dwarf do not leave the core for the most part due to their heavier weights, but trace amounts make it up to the photosphere where they are detectable. (Behind hydrogen and helium, oxygen and carbon are the most common elements in the Sun’s photosphere, though the amounts are still small, totaling near 1% by mass. As far as I know, knowledge of the composition deeper than this amounts to speculation based on the composition of the outer layers and explaining the energy output.)
The rest of the matter in the system coalesces into a protoplanetary disc (retaining an angular momentum reminiscent of the star predating the supernova) and forms the planets according to the accepted models.
So, is this all possible?
I’ve been doing some research into the solar system’s formation and evolution. As many of you are probably aware, the solar system’s heavier elements are believed to be the remnants of a massive star that went supernova prior to the solar system’s formation. Usually, this supernova is said to have occurred nearby (within a few light-years) with the implication being that our solar system formed from the small portion of the original mass that blew our direction and the rest of the mass (along with the resulting white dwarf/neutron star/black hole) drifted off elsewhere. What never really seems to be discussed is whether or not it’s possible that our solar system formed right at the site of the supernova, particularly around the white dwarf left over from the event. (A neutron star or black hole seems to be out of the question.) That makes the most critical question: Is it possible for a white dwarf to accumulate enough matter to “jump start” the star (restart a nuclear reaction within the core) and for it to once again look like a main sequence star like our Sun afterwards?
To elaborate, here’s a particular scenario I’m envisioning which I’m hoping won’t contain too many impossibilities to iron out:
Around 5 billion years ago, a star of 8 or more solar masses (near the minimum needed) goes supernova. Most of the matter achieves escape velocity and is never seen in the area again. A white dwarf of about 0.25 to 0.5 solar masses remains along with about 1 solar mass of other material (mostly hydrogen) that didn’t reach escape velocity. The white dwarf, a dense composition of primarily oxygen and carbon close to the size of Earth, accumulates enough of this matter to bring it up to 1 solar mass. The temperature and pressure increase to the point where nuclear fusion begins. The Sun expands to its current volume and the density no longer resembles that of a white dwarf.
The materials intermix in the core, with hydrogen undergoing fusion into helium and oxygen and carbon serving only as buffer material (possibly responsible for the Sun’s low power output per volume and as an aid to its stability). The oxygen and carbon of the original white dwarf do not leave the core for the most part due to their heavier weights, but trace amounts make it up to the photosphere where they are detectable. (Behind hydrogen and helium, oxygen and carbon are the most common elements in the Sun’s photosphere, though the amounts are still small, totaling near 1% by mass. As far as I know, knowledge of the composition deeper than this amounts to speculation based on the composition of the outer layers and explaining the energy output.)
The rest of the matter in the system coalesces into a protoplanetary disc (retaining an angular momentum reminiscent of the star predating the supernova) and forms the planets according to the accepted models.
So, is this all possible?