Comments on: Mystical Surprise: Spitzer Sees Quartz Crystals In Planetary Disks

By: Kootstar

Kootstar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 19:29:33 +0000

Very poor in heavy science, but my guess might include a heat-wave emitted when the star itself first kicked in its own heater. The star gathers materials and gravity increases, heat from this rises, eventually the nuclear heater kicks on and I would guess to a shock/heat wave going out from this first intraction. As the star settles into it's glow and steady burning the outer rings would possibly recool rather quickly and such mineral reactions be possible??? Just my uneducated guess from bits and pieces I've learned.

By: Aodhhan

Aodhhan — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 19:27:54 +0000

The article didn't say they actually found quartz, but quartz-LIKE crystals…more closely to silica; which actually occurs from heating up quartz!

Yes, collisions could cause enough heat to form if there is enough mass and energy or resident heat.

What is interesting is trying to figure out if this is a one, two or more stage process along with the gasseous conditions required to form that actually takes place. Also at what point are the chondrules formed… if it is part of the same process. How many collisions does it take to get to the center of a tootsie roll pop?

By: mariana

mariana — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:32:02 +0000

u guys nerds?

By: Curry

Curry — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:53:48 +0000

The crystals shown are not of quartz.

By: Dark Gnat

Dark Gnat — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:34:58 +0000

Could collisions of protoplanets cause enough heat to form this material?

By: Huygens

Huygens — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:57:56 +0000

I like the artwork with this article.

By: TobiasMar

TobiasMar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:34:03 +0000

Somehow, I'm not very surprised by this discovery; heck, I would go as far to say that I thought this was discovered long ago.

By: Gerald, Walnut Creek, CA

Gerald, Walnut Creek, CA — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 00:02:18 +0000

If these young stars recently emerged from the T-tauri stage, it's likely this material is inflow material expelled from the region very close to the star and tossed back to the outer part of the disk by off-axis bi-polar flow.