Gravitational collapse as a research area investigates the nonlinear dynamical evolution of self-gravitating systems under general relativity and, where appropriate, Newtonian gravity, focusing on conditions under which matter configurations become unstable and contract to form compact objects or singularities. It encompasses analytical and numerical studies of stability thresholds, critical phenomena, horizon formation, equation-of-state dependence, and the role of angular momentum, radiation, and magnetic fields. The field also addresses cosmic censorship, gravitational-wave signatures, and the interplay between microphysical processes (e.g., nuclear and particle interactions) and macroscopic spacetime dynamics in contexts such as stellar core collapse, supernovae, and black hole formation.
Researchers from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have revealed for the first time how gas flows from vast distances toward the disk surrounding a nascent massive star in the ...
Astronomy
Sep 19, 2025
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A University of Queensland researcher has developed a new mathematical model to explain the evolution of the universe which, for the first time, includes collapsing regions of matter and expanding voids.
Astronomy
Aug 19, 2025
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Imagine a star so dense that a teaspoon of its material would weigh as much as Mount Everest, spinning hundreds of times per second while beaming radio waves across the universe. These are pulsars, the collapsed cores of ...
Astronomy
Jun 24, 2025
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Binary neutron star mergers, cosmic collisions between two very dense stellar remnants made up predominantly of neutrons, have been the topic of numerous astrophysics studies due to their fascinating underlying physics and ...
When people think of black holes, they imagine something dramatic: a star exploding in space, collapsing in on itself, and forming a cosmic monster that eats everything around it. But what if black holes didn't always begin ...
Black holes are fundamental to the structure of galaxies and critical in our understanding of gravity, space, and time. A stellar mass black hole is a type of black hole that forms from the gravitational collapse of a massive ...
Astronomy
Apr 9, 2025
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An international research team led by Dr. Zhang Suinan from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences has uncovered the unique mechanisms governing star formation in the Central Molecular Zone ...
Astronomy
Apr 3, 2025
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Once upon a time, the core of a massive star collapsed, creating a shockwave that blasted outward, ripping the star apart as it went. When the shockwave reached the star's surface, it punched through, generating a brief, ...
Astronomy
Jan 14, 2025
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Collapsed dead stars, known as neutron stars, are a trillion times denser than lead, and their surface features are largely unknown. Nuclear theorists have explored mountain building mechanisms active on the moons and planets ...
Astronomy
Jan 13, 2025
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According to the most widely held astronomical model (the nebular hypothesis), new stars are born from massive clouds of dust and gas (aka a nebula) that experience gravitational collapse. The remaining dust and gas form ...
Astronomy
Jan 13, 2025
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