Southampton researchers discover mysterious shock wave around dead star
The phenomenon around a white dwarf some 730 light years from Earth has never been seen before
Researchers at the University of Southampton have discovered a phenomenon which could change the way we view stars forever.
They've discovered a mysterious shock wave surrounding a dead star some 730 light years from Earth, which they say shouldn't be possible and has never been seen before.
A team of scientists from the universities of Southampton and Durham, working with others, saw the phenomenon around a white dwarf some 730 light years from Earth.
Christian Knigge, a University of Southampton Professor in Astrophysics and co-author on the research paper, said: "This makes the power source of the surrounding shock wave a cosmic mystery.
“For years, we believed the strong magnetic fields from these stars prevent the generation of powerful outflows because they inhibit the formation of the discs that usually power such outflows.
“Seeing this enormous bow shock, stretching billions of miles into space, tells us there is an alternative, unexplained way for these magnetic stars to leak energy and mass into their surroundings. It is a missing piece of the puzzle in how binary star systems evolve."
The white dwarf is the remnant of a low-mass star being orbited by a companion.
Usually, material from its cosmic twin would transfer to the white dwarf, forming a disc which in turn drives powerful outflows from its surface.
These outflows create a shock wave around the object under the right conditions.
However, scientists say this white dwarf shows no signs of a disc and has a strong magnetic field that it should not possess.
He says they'll now begin to delve into further research for the next few years to understand it better.