What event is suggested as a likely trigger for the initial contraction of the solar nebula?
Answer
A shockwave from a nearby supernova explosion.
The process of solar system birth, according to the theory, begins with the massive, diffuse solar nebula. This cloud of gas and dust did not spontaneously begin contracting; rather, it is believed that the contraction was initiated by an external stimulus. The text specifically points to a shockwave emanating from a nearby supernova explosion as the likely triggering event that caused the interstellar material to begin collapsing inward under its own gravity.
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