ESO sheds light on type II supernova

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ESO's recent findings reveal that a significant number of type O stars have companions, with many being 'vampiric' stars that siphon off their mass. This discovery helps explain why about a third of supernovae are hydrogen-poor, as the proportion of these supernovae aligns with the number of vampire stars identified. Additionally, the potential for hydrogen-stripped stars to become gamma-ray burst (GRB) candidates raises concerns about the vulnerability of galaxies to rogue GRBs. Long GRBs are typically linked to Wolf-Rayet stars, but this new research suggests an alternative evolutionary pathway for such stars. The implications of this study highlight the unpredictable nature of stellar evolution and its consequences for galactic safety.
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ESO recently announced its finding that a surprisingly high percentage of type O stars have companions [http://www.eso.org/public/news/eso1230/] . An equally surprising high percentage have 'vampiric' companions that feed off them, which appears to answer at least one hitherto puzzling questions. From the press release -

"... The existence of this large number of vampire stars fits well with a previously unexplained phenomenon. Around a third of stars that explode as supernovae are observed to have surprisingly little hydrogen in them. However, the proportion of hydrogen-poor supernovae closely matches the proportion of vampire stars found by this study. ..."

What ESO neglected to mention is a massive, hydrogen stripped star could be a GRB candidate. This is a bit unsettling as it implies no galaxy is necessarily immune to a rogue GRB.
 
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Interesting. Why is it unsettling for galaxies not to be immune to a rogue GRB?
 
Long GRB's are thought most likely to be the product of Wolf-Rayet stars that have shed their hydrogen via radiation prossure. This finding appears to provide an alternative evolutionary path.
 

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