New Star Squirts Water From Poles

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the phenomenon of a young sun-like star ejecting water from its poles, as observed by the Herschel Space Observatory. Participants explore questions related to star formation, the presence of oxygen in protostars, and the implications for planets like Neptune and Uranus. The conversation includes theoretical considerations and challenges regarding the mechanisms involved in this process.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that the presence of oxygen in a protostar depends on the composition of the surrounding nebula prior to collapse.
  • One participant questions the feasibility of liquid water existing near a star and being ejected, suggesting skepticism about the mechanisms involved.
  • Another participant speculates that if water-ice is stripped from a proto-planetary nebula, it could be ejected as protons and hydroxyl ions, potentially forming ice crystals again upon cooling.
  • A later reply clarifies that the atoms forming water are being ejected rather than liquid water itself, emphasizing the importance of perspective in interpreting the phenomenon.
  • It is noted that there is currently no self-consistent theory that fully explains the observed behavior of the star, as highlighted by a postdoctoral researcher involved in the study.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a range of views, with some agreeing on the uncertainty surrounding the mechanisms of water ejection, while others remain skeptical about the existence of liquid water in such conditions. The discussion does not reach a consensus on these points.

Contextual Notes

Participants acknowledge limitations in understanding the launching mechanism of the ejected material and the lack of a comprehensive theory to explain the observations.

Dotini
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A study, accepted for publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, says ESA’s Herschel Space Observatory has spotted a young sun-like star 750 light-years from Earth that is shooting water from its poles at about 124,000 miles per hour.

I wonder, do all protostars do this? Is oxygen always part of star formation? Are Neptune and Uranus water planets?

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/06/110613-space-science-star-water-bullets-kristensen/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/17/star-shooting-water-jets-herschel_n_879211.html

http://www.popsci.com/technology/ar...pewing-water-jets-interstellar-space?cmpid=tw

Respectfully submitted,
Steve
 
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I'd say it depends on the makeup of the nebula that exists before it collapses into a star. If it has enough oxygen, sure. If not, then no.
 
I'm not an astrophysicist but this just seems outrageous. By what mechanism could liquid water ever exist in such proximity to any star let alone be ejected from it?
 
If it is stripping water-ice from proto-planetary nebula then ejecting that as protons and hydroxyl ions, no surprise there. If they cool and recombine, there'd be a haze of molecular-scale ice crystals again...
 
Antiphon said:
I'm not an astrophysicist but this just seems outrageous. By what mechanism could liquid water ever exist in such proximity to any star let alone be ejected from it?

Did you read the article? The oxygen and hydrogen were pulled in, heated and then forced out of the poles where they recombined once they cooled off. The "water" isn't really being ejected, but the atoms that form water are. It all depends on how you look at it I guess.
 
There is apparently no self-consistent theory that can explain what we are seeing.

http://www.physorg.com/news/2011-06-baby-star-blasts-jets-space.html

Lars E. Kristensen, a postdoctoral student at the Leiden University in the Netherlands, an author of the paper, said that all stars are formed by the accretion of dust and other particles in interstellar space and are eventually surrounded by a disk of material that falls into the star as it builds.

The disks are something like the rings of Saturn but far less well-defined, he said, "more puffy."

Material that is not used by the forming star is blasted back out into space from the poles, perpendicular to the angle of the disks.

"We don’'t know the launching point or the exact launching mechanism," Kristensen said. "There is no self-consistent theory that can explain what we are seeing."

Respectfully,
Steve
 

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