Neon lights up explosive stellar events

Washington, January 16 (ANI): An international team of nuclear astrophysicists, including one of Indian origin, has shed new light on the explosive stellar events known as novae.






A nova occurs when a white dwarf is close enough to a companion star to drag matter-mostly hydrogen and helium-from the outer layers of that star onto itself, building up an envelope.



"The explosion is fundamentally driven by nuclear processes. The radiation related to the decay of isotopes-in particular that from an isotope of fluorine-is actively being sought by current and future gamma ray observing satellite missions as it provides direct insight into the explosion," Dr. Alison Laird from the University of York said.



"The observation of gamma rays from novae would help to better determine exactly what chemical elements are synthesized in these astrophysical explosions," Dr. Anuj Parikh from the Departament de Fisica i Enginyeria Nuclear at the Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya said.

"In this work, details required to calculate the production of the key radioactive fluorine isotope have been measured precisely. This will allow more detailed investigation of the processes and reactions behind the nova," he added.

The study has been published in the US journal Physical Review Letters. (ANI)


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