What phenomenon is described by high-energy gamma rays breaking apart iron nuclei into lighter components during implosion?
Answer
Photodisintegration
During the terrifyingly swift gravitational collapse of the iron core, the immense increase in temperature generates high-energy gamma rays. These energetic photons possess sufficient energy to violently shatter the iron nuclei into lighter fragments, such as helium nuclei (often referred to as alpha particles). This process, known as photodisintegration, is highly detrimental to the core's structure because it consumes the very thermal energy that was actively working to resist the crushing effect of gravity, thereby accelerating the inward collapse.
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