corecollapsed

Core collapsed refers to the process by which the central region of a star, known as its core, undergoes a rapid and significant gravitational contraction. This phenomenon is typically associated with the final stages of stellar evolution, particularly for stars with masses greater than about eight times that of the Sun. When a massive star exhausts its nuclear fuel, the outward pressure from nuclear fusion can no longer counteract the inward pull of gravity. This imbalance leads to the core collapsing in on itself.

The rate of collapse can be incredibly fast, occurring in fractions of a second. As the core collapses, its density and temperature increase dramatically. If the collapsing core's mass is sufficient, it can reach a point where it can no longer be supported by neutron degeneracy pressure, a quantum mechanical effect that prevents neutrons from occupying the same quantum state. This triggers a catastrophic event.

The core collapse often results in a supernova explosion, one of the most energetic events in the universe. During the collapse, a shock wave is generated that propagates outward through the star, expelling most of the star's outer layers into space. The remnant of the core that survives the collapse can become a neutron star or, if the original star was massive enough, a black hole. The term "core collapsed" is thus fundamentally linked to the death of massive stars and the creation of compact stellar remnants.