Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar

Definition

Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar was an Indian-American astrophysicist known for his work on the structure and evolution of stars, particularly for formulating the Chandrasekhar limit. This limit defines the maximum mass of a stable white dwarf star, influencing our understanding of stellar formation and classification, as well as the processes that lead to supernovae.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Chandrasekhar proposed that a white dwarf can only support itself against gravitational collapse if it has a mass below approximately 1.4 times the mass of the Sun, known as the Chandrasekhar limit.
2. His work laid the foundation for understanding how massive stars evolve into neutron stars or black holes when they exceed this mass limit.
3. Chandrasekhar's research on stellar structure and evolution earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983.
4. The Chandrasekhar limit is crucial in predicting the final fate of stars and plays a significant role in the classification of stellar remnants.
5. He also contributed to various fields beyond astrophysics, including plasma physics and general relativity, influencing a wide range of scientific disciplines.

Review Questions

• How did Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar's work influence our understanding of white dwarfs and their significance in stellar evolution?
  • Chandrasekhar's work on white dwarfs introduced the concept of the Chandrasekhar limit, which states that these stellar remnants cannot exceed approximately 1.4 solar masses without collapsing under their own gravity. This understanding is crucial for classifying white dwarfs and determining their evolutionary paths. His findings have significant implications for stellar evolution as they explain how stars like our Sun end their life cycles and what happens to more massive stars.
• Discuss the implications of the Chandrasekhar limit on the fate of massive stars and their potential transformation into supernovae.
  • The Chandrasekhar limit implies that if a star exceeds about 1.4 solar masses, it cannot remain a stable white dwarf and will instead collapse into denser objects like neutron stars or black holes. This process can trigger supernova explosions if sufficient mass is accumulated. Therefore, understanding this limit helps predict which stars will undergo supernova events, enriching the cosmos with heavy elements through such catastrophic deaths.
• Evaluate how Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar's contributions have impacted modern astrophysics and our understanding of cosmic phenomena.
  • Chandrasekhar's contributions significantly shaped modern astrophysics by providing key insights into stellar structure and evolution. His formulation of the Chandrasekhar limit not only redefined how we view white dwarfs but also helped explain the lifecycle of stars, including how they transition into neutron stars and black holes. His work paved the way for future research in astrophysics, enhancing our knowledge of phenomena such as supernovae and their role in distributing elements throughout the universe, thereby influencing both theoretical models and observational astronomy.

Related terms

White Dwarf: A white dwarf is a stellar remnant that forms when a low to medium mass star exhausts its nuclear fuel and sheds its outer layers, leaving behind a hot core.

Supernova: A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion that occurs at the end of a star's life cycle, often following the collapse of a massive star.

Stellar Evolution: Stellar evolution refers to the processes by which a star changes over time, including its formation, main sequence phase, and eventual death.