A helium flash generally occurred in the cores of low-mass stars between 0.8 and 2.0 solar masses, during the red giant stage. It was a very brief runaway thermonuclear fusion event.
Put simply, nuclear fusion reactions constantly took place inside stars due to external pressure and gravity.
However, nuclear fusion also generated immense heat. The thermal pressure caused by that heat prevented gravitational collapse, ultimately allowing a star to operate steadily in a state that could be called "equilibrium": hydrogen fused into helium, helium into lithium, lithium continued fusing into beryllium, evolving according to the periodic table until it finally stopped at iron.
These low-mass stars were somewhat different. Once their internal hydrogen was depleted, the conditions within might still be insufficient for helium fusion. The nuclear reactions would enter a brief "vacuum period," causing thermal pressure to plummet.
As the pressure dropped sharply, the elements inside could no longer resist gravity. They would ultimately gather in a peculiar degenerate state, until enough had accumulated for violent helium fusion to begin. This caused the star's temperature to surge dramatically, perhaps even exceeding its normal temperature by a million times, until thermal pressure rose once more and balanced the star's internal gravity.
Blue giants, however, were overly massive stars. In theory, they would not experience helium flashes—but artificial intervention was different.
Feeling the violent nuclear fusion reactions within the star, Harry found it strangely wondrous—he felt as though he were peering into nature itself.
"Harry? Are you ready? I have to say, my hands are trembling. We're about to shorten a star's lifespan."
Doctor Otto's voice came through by his ear. The theoretical foundation for this project had been refined by the research team led by Doctor Otto.
The research team had carried out millions of calculations and validations day and