Question

Why do we think that a supernova event may be the source of the shockwave that triggered the gravitational collapse that formed the solar system?

A. All of the below
B. Supernova events produce aluminum-26.
C. The half-life of aluminum-26 is 715,000 years.
D. Some iron meteorites cooled in planetesimals as small as 20 km in diameter.
E. Magnesium-26 is found in meteorite minerals that usually contain aluminum.

Answer 1

A supernova event may have triggered the formation of the solar system due to its ability to produce heavy elements like Al-26, which was incorporated into the early solar system and has been found in meteorites.

Step-by-step explanation:

We think that a supernova event may be the source of the shockwave that triggered the gravitational collapse that formed the solar system because such cataclysmic events are capable of producing heavy elements such as aluminum-26 (Al-26). Supernovae seed the interstellar medium with these elements, which are then incorporated into forming planetary systems. Specifically, Al-26, which has a half-life of 715,000 years, was found to decay into magnesium-26 (Mg-26) within meteorites, indicating it was present in the early solar system and likely originated from a nearby supernova explosion. Additionally, elements heavier than iron, including Al-26, are typically formed during the nucleosynthesis powered by the vast energy released from a supernova, as supported by spectroscopic analyses of supernovas like SN 1987A.