Researchers say baby stars emit ‘sneezes’ during formation, study finds

Astronomers from Kyushu University have made a groundbreaking discovery about the early stages of star formation. They have found that infant stars release plumes of dust, gas, and electromagnetic energy in what they have dubbed as “sneezes.” These sneezes provide valuable insights into the development of these protostellar discs.

Lead author Kazuki Tokuda explained that these protostellar discs are constantly penetrated by magnetic fields, which bring magnetic flux. However, if all this flux were retained, it would result in magnetic fields much stronger than observed in any known protostar. This led the researchers to investigate further.

Using observations from the ALMA array of radio telescopes in Chile, the team studied MC 27, a stellar nursery located 450 light-years away. They discovered spike-like structures extending from the protostellar disc, which they identified as expelled magnetic flux, dust, and gas. This phenomenon, known as “interchange instability,” results from instabilities in the magnetic field reacting with different gas densities in the disc.

The researchers likened these sneezes to when we expel dust and air at high speeds. They also observed similar spikes further away from the disc, hypothesizing that these could be remnants of past sneezes. By studying these sneezes, astronomers hope to gain a better understanding of the complex processes involved in star formation and how they contribute to shaping the universe.

This discovery opens up new avenues for research in the field of astronomy and sheds light on the intricate mechanisms at play during the birth of stars.