A Way Out of the Bubble Trouble? - Upon Reconstructing the Origin of the Local Bubble and Loop I via Radioisotopic Signatures on Earth

TL;DR

This study uses radioisotopic signatures and hydrodynamical simulations to support the hypothesis that nearby supernovae contributed to the formation of the Local Bubble and Loop I, explaining the $^{60}$Fe excess found on Earth.

Contribution

The paper provides a quantitative, simulation-based analysis linking supernova events to the formation of the Local Bubble and Loop I, matching observed $^{60}$Fe signatures.

Findings

Models reproduce timing and intensity of $^{60}$Fe excess.

Supernova-driven simulations support the formation scenario.

Radioisotopic evidence links supernovae to local bubble formation.

Abstract

Deep-sea archives all over the world show an enhanced concentration of the radionuclide $^{60}$Fe, isolated in layers dating from about 2.2 Myr ago. Since this comparatively long-lived isotope is not naturally produced on Earth, such an enhancement can only be attributed to extraterrestrial sources, particularly one or several nearby supernovae in the recent past. It has been speculated that these supernovae might have been involved in the formation of the Local Superbubble, our Galactic habitat. Here, we summarize our efforts in giving a quantitative evidence for this scenario. Besides analytical calculations, we present results from high-resolution hydrodynamical simulations of the Local Superbubble and its presumptive neighbor Loop I in different environments, including a self-consistently evolved supernova-driven interstellar medium. For the superbubble modeling, the time sequence and locations of the generating core-collapse supernova explosions are taken into account, which are derived from the mass spectrum of the perished members of certain, carefully preselected stellar moving groups. The release and turbulent mixing of $^{60}$Fe is followed via passive scalars, where the yields of the decaying radioisotope were adjusted according to recent stellar evolution calculations. The models are able to reproduce both the timing and the intensity of the $^{60}$Fe excess observed with rather high precision. We close with a discussion of recent developments and give future perspectives.