Late formation of silicon carbide in type II supernovae

Sci Adv. 2018 Jan 17;4(1):eaao1054. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.aao1054. eCollection 2018 Jan.

Abstract

We have found that individual presolar silicon carbide (SiC) dust grains from supernovae show a positive correlation between 49Ti and 28Si excesses, which is attributed to the radioactive decay of the short-lived (t½ = 330 days) 49V to 49Ti in the inner highly 28Si-rich Si/S zone. The 49V-49Ti chronometer shows that these supernova SiC dust grains formed at least 2 years after their parent stars exploded. This result supports recent dust condensation calculations that predict a delayed formation of carbonaceous and SiC grains in supernovae. The astronomical observation of continuous buildup of dust in supernovae over several years can, therefore, be interpreted as a growing addition of C-rich dust to the dust reservoir in supernovae.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.