Piecing together the supernova puzzle

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · Aerosp. Am.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6990843

Friedman, H

An evaluation is made of the current state of understanding of SN 1987A. Although the observational data have all been found to confirm major predictions of theory, several noteworthy surprises have emerged. The progenitor star, Sanduleak -69 deg 202, was a blue giant rather than a red supergiant. Current research concentrates on statistical analyses of the burst of neutrinos to determine whether they have mass, and on confirming how stars build in stages from hydrogen, to helium, to neon, to silicon, to iron, and then explode as supernovas. Attempts will also be made to detect a black hole or pulsar at the center of the supernova.

• OSTI ID: 6990843
• Journal Information: Aerosp. Am.; (United States), Journal Name: Aerosp. Am.; (United States) Vol. 26; ISSN AEAME
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BLACK HOLES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
COSMIC RAY SOURCES
COSMIC X-RAY SOURCES
COSMOLOGY
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ERUPTIVE VARIABLE STARS
FERMIONS
GIANT STARS
GRAVITATIONAL COLLAPSE
LEPTONS
MASS
MASSLESS PARTICLES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MATHEMATICS
NEUTRINOS
PULSARS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
STAR EVOLUTION
STAR MODELS
STARS
STATISTICS
SUPERNOVAE
VARIABLE STARS