^32,33,34S, ^35,37Cl, ^36,38Ar, ^39,41K, and ^40,42Ca. Of these, ²⁸Si and ³²S constitute 90% of the final composition. The oxygen fuel within the core of the star is exhausted after 0.01-5 years, depending on the star's mass and other parameters. The silicon-burning process, which follows, creates iron, but this iron cannot react further to create energy to support the star.

During the oxygen-burning process, proceeding