Eksokjerner

Eksokjerner, also known as extrasolar nuclei, are hypothetical remnants of stars that have undergone supernova explosions. The term suggests that these nuclei are formed outside of our own solar system. In the context of stellar evolution, a star's core is what remains after the outer layers are expelled during a supernova. If this core is massive enough, it can collapse into a neutron star or a black hole.

The concept of eksokjerner implies that such stellar remnants, particularly neutron stars or black holes, could be ejected from their original star systems due to the asymmetric explosion of the supernova. This ejection mechanism, often referred to as a supernova kick, can impart a significant velocity to the remnant, allowing it to travel through interstellar space. These expelled cores are then considered eksokjerner, isolated objects moving independently of any host star.

The detection and study of eksokjerner are challenging. Neutron stars are intrinsically faint and emit radiation across the electromagnetic spectrum, while black holes are by definition invisible. Indirect methods, such as observing their gravitational influence on surrounding matter or detecting their radio emissions if they are pulsars, are currently the primary means of potentially identifying such objects. The existence of a significant population of eksokjerner could have implications for understanding galactic chemical evolution and the dynamics of star clusters.