Scientists Have Assessed The Deadly Danger Of Kilonovas For The Earth
A team of astronomers has for the first time assessed the potential threat to life in the universe posed by kilonovae, a relatively recent addition to the catalog of cosmic events known for their directed releases of colossal energy.
Unlike supernovae, which are also capable of creating a source of energy for life, the release of energy and matter, kilonova transitions in the process of merging compact objects in binary environments – neutron stars, neutron stars and a black hole, and, so far theoretically, pairs of black holes. In this case, kilonovae are born 1000 times more than the energy release, although it is quite directed, unlike a supernova explosion. Quilonaceae began to be classified in 2010, and there is still not much data on them, and, nevertheless, the boundaries of the lethality of these trends have not yet been delineated.
Calculations and observational data have shown that for a typical kilonova, the threat to life from the X-ray radiation generated by the afterglow extends to a distance of up to 5 parsecs (about 16 light years). For off-axis gamma radiation from the event, the lethal threat is reduced to a range of up to 4 parsecs.
While the immediate risk to life on Earth from kilonovae remains minimal, this study highlights their importance in the broader understanding of life in the universe. These results provide valuable information about the unique nature of kilonovae and their potential implications for life beyond our planet.
