Double Logarithmic Timeline of the Universe

Double Logarithmic Timeline of the Universe(en.wikipedia.org)

7 points by bungula 16 years ago | 4 comments

russell 16 years ago |

I am not an astrophysicist or even a physicist, so bear with me. What happens in the far future really depends on what theory you look at. Is dark energy accelerating the expansion of the universe? If so, there will be a point where all we can see is our own galaxy. Proton decay? Experimental evidence says that protons are stable, or the half-life is much longer than 10^38 years.

Shock waves from supernovae trigger star formation by compressing the intragalactic hydrogen, but they dont provide the material for fusion. (Lots of other effects though.) So when the hydrogen is too dilute, star formation stops. There are old galaxies wher star formation has essentially stopped.

Edit: I meant this as a reply to gpmedia, but pushed the wrong link, giving a real astrophysicist the chance to reply.

andrewcooke 16 years ago | |

good point on burning all the hydrogen. i hadn't thought of that.

gpmedia 16 years ago |

Some of the information is this article is new for me. I know it's i wikipedia, but the following facts in the Degenerate Era:

* Formation or new stars ceases. Stars cease to fuse.

* Solar systems no longer exists. Planets flung out of orbit or consumed by larger bodies.

* Galaxies no longer exist. Stars flung out of orbit or consumed bty black holes.

Have they been established as real facts? As far as I know dying stars go Supernova and allow new stars to be born, thus repeating the full cycle.

andrewcooke 16 years ago | |

not all stars end in supernovae, and even supernovae may leave a core. see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellar_evolution

that means that matter is gradually "trapped" in brown dwarves, neutron stars and black holes. so recycling by supernovae isn't sufficient to avoid heat death (if only half of all stars give supernovae then in in just seven "lifetimes" you've lost 99% of matter to those "sinks")

(maybe it's not clear, but that diagram is focusing on a very long time period, much longer than the lifetime of any star that would go supernova).

but what happens in the very long term is, i think, something of an open question (i am not an expert - i used to be an astronomer, but i've never really thought about this before).

that diagram is based on work in a book that assumes two things: (1) that protons decay and (2) the universe continues to expand. i haven't read the book, but the conclusions seem reasonable given that assumption (afaik the current consensus is that (2) is correct).

but they are just assumptions - see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultimate_fate_of_the_universe for alternative possibilities.