Stellar engulfment

Infographic on a Sun-like star evolving into a red giant and engulfing a planet.

Stellar engulfment is the process in which a star at the end of its main sequence phase of its life expands into a red giant star and engulfs some or all of the planets or brown dwarfs orbiting around it. The majority of planetary systems (around 61%) including our solar system will experience at least one stellar engulfment event on the onset of Helium fusion and near the first dredge-up.[1][2] While engulfment of planets can leave behind traces, particularly with Lithium, it is quickly diluted. The same is the case for brown dwarfs.[3]

Red giant sun and Earth.

On around five billion years from now, our Sun will evolve out of the main sequence branch and into red giant. It’s expansion will cause it to engulfed much of the inner planets of the solar system including Mercury, Venus and possibly Earth.[4]

References

  1. ^ Leary, Ashlyn R.; McSwain, M. Virginia (April 2025). "Dinner with a Star: Stellar Engulfment of Exoplanet Systems". Research Notes of the AAS. 9 (4): 79. Bibcode:2025RNAAS...9...79L. doi:10.3847/2515-5172/adcb36. ISSN 2515-5172.
  2. ^ "Planet Survives Threat of Engulfment by Its Star". California Institute of Technology. 2023-07-07. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
  3. ^ Cabezón, R. M.; Abia, C.; Domínguez, I.; García-Senz, D. (2023-02-01). "Sub-stellar engulfment by a main-sequence star: Where is the lithium?". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 670: A155. arXiv:2210.17363. Bibcode:2023A&A...670A.155C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202244848. ISSN 0004-6361.
  4. ^ Stephens, Tim (2022-06-13). "Simulations reveal hydrodynamics of planetary engulfment by expanding star". News. Retrieved 2025-05-28.
Prefix: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Portal di Ensiklopedia Dunia

Kembali kehalaman sebelumnya