Supernova Study Reveals 'Danger To Planets'

Space.com

A study using the NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and other X-ray telescopes has revealed that "an exploded star can pose more risks to nearby planets than previously thought." The Chandra team explains.   Credit: NASA/CXC/A. Hobart

Transcript

00:00visit chandra's beautiful universe supernova survey

00:06an exploded star can pose more risks to nearby planets than previously thought

00:14according to a new study from nasa's chandra x-ray observatory and other x-ray telescopes

00:20this newly identified threat involves a phase of intense x-rays that can damage the atmospheres

00:27of planets over 100 light years away although earth is not in danger now it may have experienced

00:33such x-ray exposure in the past before this study most research on the effects of supernova explosions

00:40had focused on the danger from two periods the intense radiation produced by a supernova in the

00:46days and months after the explosion and the energetic particles that arrive hundreds to thousands of

00:52years afterward however even these alarming threats do not fully catalog the dangers in the wake of an

00:59exploded star researchers have discovered that in between these two previously identified dangers

01:06lurks another the aftermaths of supernovae always produce x-rays but if the supernova's blast wave

01:13strikes dense surrounding gas it can produce a particularly large dose of x-rays that arrives

01:19months to years after the explosion and may last for decades the calculations in this latest study

01:26are based on x-ray observations of 31 supernovae and their aftermath mostly obtained from nasa's

01:32chandra x-ray observatory swift and new star missions and esa's xmm newton the analysis of these

01:40observations shows that there can be lethal consequences from supernovae interacting with their

01:44surroundings for planets located as much as about 160 light years away if a torrent of x-rays sweeps over

01:53a nearby planet the radiation would severely alter the planet's atmospheric chemistry for an earth-like

01:59planet this process could wipe out a significant portion of ozone which ultimately protects life from

02:05the dangerous ultraviolet radiation of its host star as far as anyone knows the earth is not in any danger

02:12from an event like this now however it may be the case that such events played a role in earth's past

02:18there is strong evidence including the detection in different locations around the globe of a radioactive

02:23type of iron this supernovae occurred close to earth between about two and eight million years ago

02:30researchers estimate these supernovae were between about 65 and 500 light years away from earth

02:36although the earth and the solar system are currently in a safe space in terms of potential supernova

02:42explosions many other planets in the milky way are not these high energy events would effectively shrink

02:48the areas within the milky way galaxy known as the galactic habitable zone where conditions would be

02:54conducive for life as we know it because the x-ray observations of supernovae are sparse particularly of the

03:01variety that strongly interact with their surroundings the authors would like to see follow-up observations of

03:07interacting supernovae for months and years after the explosion

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