Question

An early theory suggested that one of these events from Geminga was responsible for the low-density of the Local Bubble. For 10 points each:
[10m] Name these events which can be dated by the presence of Mn-53 (“manganese 53”), Fe-60 (“iron 60”), or Pu-244 (“plutonium 244”) in deep sea rock. Adrian Mellot proposed that the Late Ordivician extinction was caused by one of these events damaging the earth’s atmosphere.
ANSWER: supernova [accept hypernova; accept gamma ray burst or GRB; prompt on black-hole or neutron star or white-dwarf mergers]
[10e] Near Earth supernovae and gamma ray bursts could conceivably cause extinctions by damaging the “layer” of this triatomic allotrope of oxygen in the upper atmosphere.
ANSWER: ozone [prompt on O3 (“O-three”)]
[10h] The nearest candidate for a potentially future Near Earth Supernova is located in this constellation which contains the Einstein Cross, a lensed quasar. This constellation contains the first known exoplanet to orbit a Sun-like star.
ANSWER: Pegasus [accept IK Pegasi B and 51 Pegasi B]
<KT, Other Science: Earth Science>

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Zen and the Art of BuzzingArizona State010010
MSU A and FriendFarrellmagnetism010010
Ganon Evans Fan ClubBoston College010010