Expert: Jayendra Upadhye - 4/25/2007

Question
What is the link between a neutron star and a super nova?

Thanks in advance.

Answer
Hi,
Aneutron star is a remnant of the supernova.
It is also the "cause" of the outward blast.

The supernova actually is triggered by fusion that results in iron.
Iron generation by fusion is an endothermic reaction and quickly saps the energy of the core.

The cooling core shrinks and is compressed by self gravity, in absence of thermal pressure.

it forms the neutron star first.
the outer layers come crashing in a "little later"!

The neutron star surface is extremely hard ..(much more than that of diamond)..

The infalling matter rebounds!

This rebounding matter moves through the rest of the infalling matter and actually creates a shock wave, that some times stalls, but many times "punches through", scattering the debri in all directions.

The pressures and temperatures reached in the shock front is such that trans iron elements of the periodic table even are synthesized there.

THAT is the supernova the world SEES.

The real event is often a couple of days old when that happens, And the initial stages are accompanied by an intense flash of x RAYS and a burst of neutrinoes.

It was this tell tale newutrino burst that made astronomers "trangulate" to the large magellanic cloud (satellite of the milky way), and find supernove 1987a EMERGE couple of days later.
[read about it in the scientefic american].

hope that suffices.
Jayen