Successive Generations of Stars

[dougettinger]

I may be asking questions that cannot be answered in theory or by other means. After the very first stars were created and after the first massive stars exploded how long is it estimated that the resulting debris of gases and dust gathered to form the next set of stars that would be large enough to explode again? Is this question connected to the type of galaxy in which the star is found? Can the data about different star populations and their ages address this question?

Our bodies are made from materials that come from the stars. I know that these materials are the mixture of numerous supernovae. But what is the best estimate for how many successive explosions over the past 13 billion years were involved? Armed with the new knowledge of star evolution and isotopic studies I would think the answer to this question may be attempted.

[Amir]

guess you have to look for the number of eruptions in first 6 or 7 billion years, cuz earth was already formed by then.
although, I've heard that earth's history is too short for this complicated life to evolve, so they are looking for other sources (like comets) to see if they brought life to our planet. is that right?
if so, it'd be much more difficult to explain the materials our bodies are made of using Supernovas!

[dougettinger]

The most materials for the Earth came from a period prior to 4.5 billion years. Subsequent impactors and comets of course came since that time. But these objects are made of materials that also come from Supernovae.

[dougettinger]

I may be asking questions that cannot be answered in theory or by other means. After the very first stars were created and after the first massive stars exploded how long is it estimated that the resulting debris of gases and dust gathered to form the next set of stars that would be large enough to explode again? Is this question connected to the type of galaxy in which the star is found? Can the data about different star populations and their ages address this question?

Our bodies are made from materials that come from the stars. I know that these materials are the mixture of numerous supernovae. But what is the best estimate for how many successive explosions over the past 13 billion years were involved? Armed with the new knowledge of star evolution and isotopic studies I would think the answer to this question may be attempted.

I have received questions about my question but no answers yet. Perhaps this is a totally ridiculous question. If someone knowledgeable of star ages and star evolution is in the audience, please tell me that this question is unanswerable if that is the case? Thank you.