Chandrasekhargränsen

The Chandrasekhar limit is the maximum mass of a stable white dwarf star. A white dwarf is the remnant core of a star that has exhausted its nuclear fuel. If a white dwarf has a mass greater than this limit, it cannot support itself against gravitational collapse through electron degeneracy pressure alone. The Chandrasekhar limit is approximately 1.4 times the mass of our Sun.

This limit was first calculated by the Indian astrophysicist Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar in 1930. His work on the structure and evolution of stars led to this crucial understanding of stellar remnants. The physical principle behind the limit is that as a white dwarf's mass increases, its density also increases. At a certain point, the electrons within the star are squeezed so close together that they exert a powerful outward pressure, known as electron degeneracy pressure. This pressure counteracts gravity. However, if the mass exceeds the Chandrasekhar limit, gravity becomes too strong for this electron degeneracy pressure to withstand, and the star must collapse further.

The fate of a star exceeding the Chandrasekhar limit depends on its composition and the specific circumstances. Typically, if a white dwarf accretes mass from a companion star and surpasses this limit, it can trigger a Type Ia supernova, a powerful stellar explosion. Alternatively, if the collapse is not explosive, it can lead to the formation of a neutron star or a black hole, depending on the initial mass of the progenitor star. The Chandrasekhar limit is a fundamental concept in astrophysics, playing a vital role in understanding stellar evolution and the production of heavy elements.

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