Could a supernova by Betelgeuse threaten life on Earth?

[fsgregs]

Hi folks:

In doing some star research, I ran across two different articles suggesting that although Betelgeuse is further away from Earth than the "theoretical" distance needed for a supernova to cause a mass extinction on Earth (the distance is 3 x e17 meters), these articles claimed that the gamma and x-ray flux from a supernova at Betelgeuse would be sufficient to wipe out the ozone layer for 50 years or more, which could cause some major disruptions and potential extinctions of life on Earth. I've tried to find the articles again and/or see what other web articles had to say about it, but I've not had much luck.

I'd love your comments



Is it possible?

Frank

[maxim]

I've shortly read an article about the hypothesis that one early of the several 'live drops' in earth history - ~350 billion years ago, only primitive lifeforms that times, ~90 percent of the species where wiped out - was caused by a nearby supernova explosion. Effects: destroyed ozone layer, serious changes in atmosphere composition.

Unfortunately I don't remember where it was. Perhaps a search with paleontologic terms would give results.

maxim.

[maxim]

I've got it. It was 440 billion years ago, and there vanished 66% of lifeforms:

http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/erde/0,1518,281044,00.html

unfortunately it's in german. But there is a link at the end, refering to the origing of the message: http://www.aas.org/

maxim

[granthutchison]

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=42852&rendertype=abstract

Grant

[Don. Edwards]

Maxim,
I think you mean 440 million years not billion years. The universe itself isn't that old. Only close to 15 billion.

Don. Edwards

[maxim]

I think you mean 440 million years not billion years.

Yes, I did mean 'million'. Sorry.

Actually I know few about things that happend 20 universes ago.

maxim

[eburacum45]

Have you found this article? I find it very informative.
http://stupendous.rit.edu/richmond/answers/snrisks.txt