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tvscientist
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Can simple mass accretion turn a neutron star into a Black Hole, or does a BH require temperatures and pressures from the collapsed massive star?
mathman said:If a neutron star accretes enough mass it will become a black hole. Temperature and pressure are only relevant to the extent that they affect the density.
tvscientist said:Can simple mass accretion turn a neutron star into a Black Hole, or does a BH require temperatures and pressures from the collapsed massive star?
Bernie G said:"It IS known that neutron stars do collapse into black holes. It is called a type Ic supernova."
Are you sure about this? Do you have an internet reference that says this?
Yes, it is possible for a neutron star to turn into a black hole through a process called mass accretion. This occurs when a neutron star is in a binary system with another star and accretes mass from its companion, leading to an increase in its mass and the potential to become a black hole.
A neutron star needs to accrete at least 20% of its original mass to have a chance of turning into a black hole. This means that it would need to gain about 0.2 solar masses in order to reach the critical mass required for black hole formation.
No, mass accretion is not the only way for a neutron star to turn into a black hole. It is also possible for a neutron star to collapse into a black hole if its internal structure changes, such as through a change in its temperature or magnetic field strength.
The matter that is accreted by the neutron star is compressed and heated as it falls onto the surface of the star. This can lead to the emission of X-rays and gamma rays, making accreting neutron stars visible to telescopes. If enough matter is accreted, it can also contribute to the growth of the neutron star's mass and potentially lead to black hole formation.
The timescale for a neutron star to become a black hole through mass accretion depends on the rate of accretion and the mass of the star's companion. It can take anywhere from a few million years to billions of years for a neutron star to gain enough mass to become a black hole.