What does "Stripped Stars" mean?
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Stripped stars are massive stars that have lost their outer layers. This can happen when they interact with another star in a binary system, where two stars orbit each other. After losing their outer layers, these stars have a different set of characteristics compared to regular stars.
Characteristics
Stripped stars usually have lower amounts of certain elements like carbon and oxygen on their surfaces, and they often show higher levels of nitrogen. Their brightness is higher than what you would expect for their size, which suggests they are in a special phase of their life cycle.
Importance in Astronomy
Studying stripped stars is important because they can lead to certain types of supernovae, which are powerful explosions that happen at the end of a star's life. These supernovae can create neutron stars, which are incredibly dense remnants of massive stars.
Tidal Disruption Events
When stripped stars are pulled apart by the gravity of a black hole, it creates a tidal disruption event (TDE). These events can provide insights into the chemical makeup of stars. By analyzing the elements released during these events, scientists can learn more about how stripped stars differ from other stars.
Binary Systems
Many stripped stars are found in binary systems. When one star loses its outer layers to its companion, the process can significantly change the characteristics of both stars. This can lead to interesting outcomes, such as creating new types of binary star systems, which may eventually become sources of X-ray emissions.