Michaela SJ said:First post and I am not a scientist - just a curious soul.
Michaela SJ said:What stops a neutron star/magnetar from collapsing further into a black hole?
Michaela SJ said:explains why there are a lot neutron stars and not a lot of black holes.
A neutron star is a highly dense, compact star made up of tightly packed neutrons. When a massive star runs out of fuel and undergoes a supernova explosion, the core of the star collapses, resulting in a neutron star. Further collapse of a neutron star can occur due to the extreme gravitational forces acting on it, causing it to become even denser and smaller.
The main cause of a neutron star's collapse is the intense gravitational forces acting on it. These forces are a result of the star's massive size and density, which can be up to 10 trillion times that of Earth. The collapse can also be triggered by the star's magnetic field or by the accretion of material from a companion star.
During a further collapse of a neutron star, the already dense core becomes even denser, resulting in a higher mass and stronger gravitational pull. This can lead to the formation of a black hole, as the escape velocity becomes greater than the speed of light. The collapse can also cause the star's rotation to increase significantly, resulting in the emission of powerful beams of radiation.
Yes, it is possible for a neutron star to collapse completely. If the star's mass is greater than a certain limit, known as the Tolman-Oppenheimer-Volkoff limit, the gravitational forces will be too strong for even neutrons to resist, causing the star to collapse into a singularity, also known as a black hole.
A further collapse of a neutron star can have various implications. It can lead to the formation of a black hole, which can have significant effects on the surrounding space-time. The collapse can also release a large amount of energy, resulting in the emission of powerful radiation and the formation of jets. It can also provide valuable insights into the nature of matter at extreme densities and the behavior of gravity in these extreme conditions.