iTWire - Supernova find affects dark energy research

Supernova find affects dark energy research

by Stephen Withers
Saturday, 06 January 2007
! Astronomers using the ESA's XMM-Newton and NASA's Chandra Observatory have found evidence of a significant new class of supernova. An examination of the remnants of two supernovas found a high concentration of iron atoms indicating they were so-called Type Ia supernovas formed by exploding white dwarf stars, yet were emitting more X-rays than would be typical of this class. The most likely explanation is said to be that the explosion took place in a very dense environment. This could be due to a larger star than normally associated with a Type Ia supernova pulling in matter from a companion star. In these circumstances, "this star would have a much shorter fuse and explode in only about 100 million years - much less than other Type Ia supernovas," said Kazimierz Borkowski of North Carolina State University. Type Ia supernovas are used by astronomers to measure the expansion of the cosmos caused by dark energy. This finding might mean they can be used to investigate earlier stages in the universe's history. Alternatively, it could imply that they are not as consistent as previously believed, making them less useful for this purpose.{moscomment} Please enable JavaScript in your browser to post your comment! Tags See All Tags Science Space Stephen Withers Get stories like this delivered daily - FREE - subscribe now

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