Antimatter in stellar core

I didn't think much antimatter was produced in nature, but that may explain some extremely luminous supernovae. [Link]

In 2006, the supernova SN 2006gy wowed scientists with a light show that was 10 times as luminous as the average supernova, challenging the traditional model of exactly how an exploding star creates a supernova. Astronomers suspect that the cause is the repeated production of antimatter in the core of the star.

Supernovae occur when a star nears the end of its life, and the nuclear processes that fuel the star push outward more powerfully than the force of gravity can hold the star together; the type of supernova created depends on the mass of the star. In stars with masses between 95-130 times the Sun, this process can occur more than once, creating a "pulsational" supernova which can happen as many as seven times.

The cause for the multiple explosions may have to do with the production of antimatter particles in the core, which then recombine and release large amounts of energy.

"The pair instability is encountered when, late in the star's life, a large amount of thermal energy goes into making the masses of an increasing abundance of electron-positron pairs rather than providing pressure," wrote Dr. Stan Woosley, of the Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, USCS Santa Cruz.

"Captain, the core canna take any more stress. It's gonna blow!"