Animation shows how the solar system could have formed

Our solar system may have been born in a massive bubble around an ancient dead star, according to a new theory.

Scientists say stellar wind from a giant type of star known as a Wolf-Rayet could have created a bubble with a dense shell over the course of millions of years, where dust and gas became trapped before condensing into stars.

Supernovae of these stars, which burn the hottest of all stars, are known to produce certain materials that were abundant in the early solar system.

 

Scientists say stellar wind from a giant type of star known as a Wolf-Rayet could have created a bubble with a dense shell over the course of millions of years, where dust and gas became trapped before condensing into stars

THE NEW THEORY 

According to the researchers, stellar wind from massive Wolf-Rayet stars causes elements to be flung into space.

These stars can be 40-50 times the size of the sun.

As the star sheds its mass, the stellar wind causes this material to form a bubble with a dense shell.

There, dust and gas become trapped, giving rise to stars.

And, these types of stars are also known to release large amounts of aluminium-26, but no iron-60.

This could help to explain the unusual proportions of the two isotopes.

The new theory could help to answer long-standing questions on the origins of the solar system, according to the researchers from the University of Chicago.

Much of the mystery centers on the unusual proportions of two isotopes: aluminium-26 and iron-60.

While leading theories on the birth of the solar system argue that it formed billions of years ago near a supernovae, these stellar explosions are known to produce large amounts of both isotopes.

But, studies suggest the levels were not evenly matched; instead, the researchers say there was likely less iron-60.

Analysis of meteorites from the early solar system have shown evidence of the presence of the isotope aluminium-26.

According to the researchers, stellar wind from massive Wolf-Rayet stars causes elements to be flung into space.

These stars can be 40-50 times the size of the sun.

As the star sheds its mass, the stellar wind causes this material to form a bubble with a dense shell.

There, dust and gas become trapped, giving rise to stars.

The researcher says about 1-16 percent of sun-like stars could have formed in stellar nurseries of this kind.

‘The shell of such a bubble is a good place to produce stars,’ said co-author Nicolas Dauphas, professor in the Department of Geophysical Sciences.

And, these types of stars are also known to release large amounts of aluminium-26, but no iron-60.

According to the researchers, stellar wind from massive Wolf-Rayet stars causes elements to be flung into space. These stars can be 40-50 times the size of the sun. As the star sheds its mass, the stellar wind causes this material to form a bubble with a dense shell

According to the researchers, stellar wind from massive Wolf-Rayet stars causes elements to be flung into space. These stars can be 40-50 times the size of the sun. As the star sheds its mass, the stellar wind causes this material to form a bubble with a dense shell

This could explain the bizarre proportions, the researchers say.

The previous supernova theory ‘begs the question of why one was injected into the solar system and the other was not,’ said co-author Vikram Dwarkadas, a research associate professor in Astronomy and Astrophysics.

‘The idea is that aluminium-26 flung from the Wolf-Rayet star is carried outwards on grains of dust formed around the star.

‘These grains have enough momentum to punch through one side of the shell, where they are mostly destroyed- trapping the aluminium inside the shell.’

The Wolf-Rayet star likely ended in a supernova or collapsed into a black hole, according to the researchers. The latter would produce little iron-60. 



Read more at DailyMail.co.uk