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"Burning Walls" May Stop Black Hole Formation
KentuckyFC writes "Black holes are thought to form when a star greater than 4 times the mass of the Sun explodes in a supernova and then collapses. The force of this collapse is so great that no known force can stop it. In less massive stars, the collapse cannot overcome so-called neutron degeneracy, the force that stops neutrons from being squashed together. Now a Russian physicist says another effect may be involved. He points out that quantum chromodynamics predicts that when neutrons are squashed together, matter undergoes a phase transition into "subhadronic" matter. This is very different from ordinary matter. In subhadronic form, space is essentially empty. So the phase change creates a sudden reduction in pressure, forcing any ordinary matter in the star to implode into this new vacuum. The result is a massive increase in temperature of this matter that creates a "burning wall" within the supernova. And it is this burning wall that stops the formation of a black hole, not just the degeneracy pressure of neutrons. This should lead to much greater energies inside a supernova than had been thought possible until now. And that's important because it could explain the formation of high energy gamma ray bursts that have long puzzled astrophysicists."
I'm sorry, but after reading the title of the article, all I can think about is all that spicy food I ate last night...
one usually forms a hypothesis to fit data, not the other way around
But either way, the second step is always apply for a grant!
The enemies of Democracy are
Create some subhadronic matter and see if it causes a region of space with lower pressure than the surrounding space. As a bonus, measure the temperature of that space before and after the pressure vacuum stabilizes.
Three days from now?? Thats tomorrow!! ~Peter Griffin
Welcome to the Max Planck Subatomic Cavalcade of Freaks! See! the Degenerate Neutron! Behold! the Strange Quark! Find! the Higgs Boson!
"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." - Evelyn Beatrice Hall, re Voltaire
The phrase that stuck out for me was, 'a phase transition into "subhadronic" matter'. While I certainly recognize the need for new vocabulary when a new model/theory/phenomenon is described or discovered, this particular phrase, "subhadronic matter", gives me Star Trek Voyager flashbacks.
"Captain, the Borg are pulling us in!"
"Lt. Torres, can you reroute the power to the deflection array dish, and invert the signal to send out a subhadronic matter stream? That should disrupt the tractor beam long enough for us to warp out!"
"Recreate the forces inside a collapsing star, of course! Why didn't I think of that?"
In other news, Microsoft Windows users are now covered under the Americans with Disabilties Act...
So now the sky, and the walls are burning?
Quantum chromodynamics, "subhadronic" matter,. .... , I think you got me lost there ;-)
You must be new here.
They can rest easy knowing that their Fire-Wall, will protect them from a Black Hole too...not just outside intruders!
And that PROVES the existence of God. I mean, what is the chance that OUR sun is EXACTLY one solar mass? There must be hundreds of suns in the universe and we got the ONLY exact one because WE are Gods CHOSEN.
Show all work. Write legibly in #2 pencil or blue or black permanent ink. Do not write on test booklet. Do not start until signaled to do so by your proctor. Destruction of the earth will result in automatic failure. You will have three (3) hours.
"FDA staff reviewers expressed concern about the number of patients who were left out of the study because they died."