Afoe is a unit ofenergy equal to 1044joules or 1051ergs, used to express the large amount of energy released by asupernova.[1] An acronym for "[ten to thepower of]fifty-oneergs",[2] the term was introduced byGerald E. Brown ofStony Brook University in his work withHans Bethe, because "it came up often enough in our work".[3]
Without mentioning the foe, Steven Weinberg proposed in 2006 "a new unit called thebethe" (B) with the same value, to "replace" it.[4]
This unit of measure is convenient because a supernova typically releases about one foe of observable energy in a very short period (which can be measured in seconds). In comparison, if theSun's current luminosity is the same as its average luminosity over its lifetime, it would release 3.827×1026W × 3.1536×107s/yr × 1010 yr ≈ 1.2 foe. Onesolar mass has arest mass energy of 1787 foe.
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