[ExI] diamond planet

[spike]

-----Original Message-----
From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org
[mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Mike Dougherty
Subject: [ExI] diamond planet

>...http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110825141632.htm

>...If the relative rarity of this configuration is evidence of engineering,
what might be its purpose?

>...If not, it's still cool.


The relative rarity of this configuration is not evidence of engineering.
On the contrary, it seems reasonable to assume that anything that can be
engineered should be common.

A diamond star is one with original mass in a narrow range below the
CHandrasekhar limit of 1.4 solar masses, above which a white dwarf must
eventually become a black hole, and also have angular momentum in the right
range.  As the hydrogen and helium sequences end, the next fusions create
heavier elements.  One of these is carbon.  If the white dwarf is just the
right size, the core begins to fuse carbon and contract, causing the
rotation rate to go way up.  The fusion doesn't proceed to iron because
there isn't enough mass to create sufficient pressure at the core.  There is
sufficient pressure to create diamond from carbon however.  So if a star
initially has just the right range of mass and just the right range of
angular momentum, then as it leaves the main sequence it eventually forms a
rapidly spinning ball of diamond.

Aint nature cool?

{8-]

spike