Asteroids venturing near white dwarfs don't break directly into dust, study reveals
When asteroids travel too close to white dwarfs, the dense remnants of stars that have exhausted their nuclear fuel, powerful gravitational forces can tear them apart.
When asteroids travel too close to white dwarfs, the dense remnants of stars that have exhausted their nuclear fuel, powerful gravitational forces can tear them apart.
The short version
- However, new research from Planetary Science Institute (PSI) suggests that these asteroids don't immediately break into dust.
- Instead, most of the mass initially remains in larger fragments, revealing a previously overlooked step in how debris forms around dying stars.
- This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies .
What happened
Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: When asteroids travel too close to white dwarfs, the dense remnants of stars that have exhausted their nuclear fuel, powerful gravitational forces can tear them apart. The study, led by PSI senior scientist Jordan Steckloff, identifies a "kilometer-size barrier" that limits just how much asteroids can break apart when subjected to the powerful gravitational forces of white dwarfs.
Why it matters
White dwarfs are often surrounded by disks of planetary debris , including dust from asteroids and other objects pulled apart by the star's gravity.
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