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Study Reveals That Cosmic Explosion Observed in 2004 May Have Forged Metals Like Gold and Uranium, Placing Magnetars as a New Confirmed Source of Heavy Elements in the Universe
Astronomers have unraveled a mystery that has intrigued science for nearly two decades. A cosmic explosion observed in 2004 revealed new clues about where the rarest and most valuable metals in the Universe are formed. The answer may lie in a supermagnetized star, called a magnetar, which released more energy than the Sun would produce in a million years.
This eruption, according to a study published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, may have generated gold, platinum, and even uranium. The research was led by experts from the Computational Astrophysics Center at the Flatiron Institute in New York.
Study Points to Decisive Role of Magnetars
According to scientists, this type of explosion may be responsible for up to 10% of the heavy metals in the Milky Way. Until now, it was believed that these elements only arose from collisions between neutron stars. The new study shows that magnetars can also forge this type of material.
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Brian Metzger, co-author of the research, highlighted: “This is only the second time we have directly detected where heavy elements actually form. The first was in the merger of neutron stars. This new data changes the game.”
Explosion of 2004, Finally Understood
The explosion of 2004 left a strong signal, attributed to a magnetar. But there was also a second, more discreet signal that remained unexplained.
Now, scientists believe that this second alert indicates the formation of heavy metals at that exact moment. It is estimated that the explosion generated the equivalent of one-third of the Earth’s mass in such elements.
The Process That Creates Heavy Metals
Rare metals like gold and uranium did not emerge with the Big Bang. They require extreme conditions to form. The culprit is the so-called r-process, where atoms capture neutrons at high speeds and form heavier nuclei.
Previously, scientists had only confirmed this process in neutron star mergers, like the one observed in 2017. But the number of such collisions known to date does not explain the amount of heavy metals in the Universe.
Magnetar Explosions Enter the Radar
In light of this gap, researchers began to study the explosions of magnetars as a new source. In 2024, theoretical calculations suggested that these stars could release neutron-rich matter into space.
Anirudh Patel, lead author of the study, commented: “It is surreal to think that the metals used in our cell phones and computers come from such extreme phenomena.”
Gamma-Ray Brightness Revealed the Secret
The explosions produce unstable nuclei that transform into stable elements, like gold. During this process, light is emitted in the form of gamma rays. The team realized that this type of brightness was present in the 2004 explosion, but it has only now been correctly interpreted.
By crossing old and new data, scientists concluded that they were facing a second confirmed source of heavy elements in space.
Impact on Astrophysics
The amount generated is impressive: about 2 trillion trillion kilograms of heavy metals. This could represent up to 10% of all elements formed by the r-process in the galaxy.
If new research confirms this proportion, it will be necessary to revise what was known about the origin of these metals. The merger of neutron stars remains a valid explanation, but now magnetars are also in the spotlight.
NASA Mission May Bring New Answers
NASA plans to launch the Compton Spectrometer and Imager mission in 2027. The project could provide more details about explosions like this and help better understand how the Universe created its most valuable elements.
According to Patel, the most curious thing is to imagine that these events could have happened since the earliest moments of the cosmos. This would explain why some young galaxies already have so many heavy metals.
The discovery reinforces the idea that even the most precious objects on Earth were born from extreme events in space.
With information from Jornal da Fronteira.
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