Articles tagged with Neutron Stars
A team of scientists has successfully measured the electron capture rate in intermediate-mass stars, revealing that they are more likely to undergo a thermonuclear explosion than collapse. This finding has significant implications for galactic chemical evolution and the discovery of iron-60 in deep-sea sediments.
Astronomers have cataloged signs of 9 heavy metals in supergiant and giant stars, allowing researchers to study the chemical composition and evolution of galaxies. By analyzing these elements, scientists can reconstruct the history of galaxies, including events like binary neutron star mergers that affected the Milky Way.
The Institute for Advanced Study has been awarded a $1 million grant from Schmidt Futures to leverage advances in high-performance computing and deepen our understanding of cosmic phenomena, including neutron star mergers, star formation, and galaxy dynamics. The project aims to develop new numerical methods and tools to address challe...
The MAGIC telescopes detected the first-ever TeV photons from a gamma-ray burst, providing critical new insights into the physical processes at work in these cosmic events. The discovery sheds light on the mysteries surrounding gamma-ray bursts and their energetic emissions.
Researchers found evidence for low-mass black holes, potentially opening up a new area of study about star explosions and formation. The discovery uses data from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment and identifies a class of black holes smaller than previously known.
Astronomers detected freshly made heavy element, strontium, in space after a neutron star merger, confirming the process by which it forms. This discovery provides a missing piece of the puzzle of chemical element formation and ties rapid neutron capture to neutron star mergers.
A team led by Northwestern University has captured the deepest optical image of a first neutron star collision using NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. The study sheds light on the nature and origin of neutron star collisions, including the jet created during the merger and its relation to shorter gamma ray bursts.
Researchers have found evidence of a kilonova that produced large quantities of heavy metals, including gold and platinum, after a neutron star merger. The discovery was made by re-examining data from a 2016 gamma-ray burst, which matched the signature of a kilonova observed in 2017.
The HADES experiment simulates electromagnetic radiation from colliding neutron stars, revealing temperatures of 800 billion degrees Celsius. The research provides insight into the cosmic kitchen for heavy nuclei fusion.
Researchers pin down Hubble constant value between 65.3 and 75.6 km/s/Mpc using gravitational wave signals and radio images. This method relies on a single merger event, which is remarkable given the cosmological models' limitations.
Astronomers have developed a new method to measure the expansion of the Universe by analyzing neutron star mergers and gravitational waves. This technique uses the orientation of the gravitational wave signal to determine the distance, providing a new 'cosmic ruler' for measuring the Hubble Constant.
New research suggests that most of Earth's heavy elements, including gold and platinum, were spewed from collapsars, a rare type of star explosion. This finding challenges the widely held belief that these elements come from collisions between neutron stars or black holes.
Astronomers discover that a violent neutron star collision near the solar system created 0.3% of Earth's heaviest elements, such as gold and platinum, 4.6 billion years ago. This cosmic event is believed to have occurred in our neighborhood, about 1000 light years from the cradle of Earth.
Astronomers have observed a unique X-ray signal from a binary neutron star merger 6.6 billion light years away, which is highly likely powered by a magnetar. This discovery provides new insights into the physics of neutron stars and challenges existing theories on the ending of a binary neutron star merger system.
A team of international astronomers, including UNLV's Bing Zhang, has discovered a new way to spot neutron star mergers using a bright X-ray burst detected by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. The observation validated predictions made in 2013 and provided a rare glimpse into how neutron stars are formed.
A research team has successfully computed millions of highly accurate atomic data for neodymium ions, enabling studies of the origin of precious metals like gold and platinum. The findings show that the light of a kilonova, emitted by neutron star mergers, contains abundant heavy elements.
Researchers at TUM and Max Planck Institute have developed a magnetic field trap to confine positrons for over a second, a breakthrough in studying electron-positron pair plasmas. This achievement has significant implications for plasma physics and astrophysics, including the study of neutron stars and black holes.
Researchers used a global network of radio telescopes to detect a compact jet of material expanding at close to the speed of light. The jet's existence challenges previous models of binary neutron star mergers, which suggested it was not possible for such a structure to form.
Research groups calculate the signature of a phase transition in gravitational waves emitted by merging neutron stars, which could reveal the presence of quark matter. A phase transition may occur when densities exceed atomic nuclei and temperatures reach 10,000 times those in the Sun's core.
Researchers from UCL and Flatiron Institute develop technique to calculate gravitational wave data, enabling accurate measurement of Hubble constant. By observing 50 binary neutron stars over the next decade, scientists can resolve the long-standing debate on the universe's expansion rate.
Researchers led by Penn State astronomer Pragati Pradhan found that stellar winds, composed of protons, electrons, and metal atoms, contain dense clumps. The Chandra data revealed a 'Compton shoulder' indicating back scattering by surrounding matter, providing new insights into star environments.
A Northwestern University-led team captures the moment a star collapsed to form a compact object, such as a black hole or neutron star. The team used multiple imaging sources and a comprehensive approach to study the object's makeup, finding evidence of hydrogen and helium.
Astronomers have observed a rare supernova that provides a unique glimpse into the physics of black hole or neutron star creation. The object, known as AT2018cow, is thought to be the formation of an accreting black hole or neutron star.
A Northwestern University-led team captures the exact moment a star collapsed to form a compact object like a black hole or neutron star, revealing evidence of an accreting black hole or neutron star. The event, known as AT2018cow, was detected in the Hercules constellation and emitted remarkable bright glow.
Researchers investigate pion condensation in neutron-rich tin isotope, finding critical density of around two times normal nuclear density. The discovery provides new insights into rapid cooling process of neutron star cores.
The study of 'dancing' hyperons in pear-shaped hypernuclei reveals unique behaviors and new insights into fundamental interactions. Researchers found that the hyperon's spatial distribution has a spherical symmetry when occupying the lowest-energy state, shrinking nuclear size and decreasing quadrupole deformation.
Researchers have identified a direct relative of the historic neutron star merger that produced the first simultaneous detection of light and gravitational waves. The newly described object, named GRB150101B, shares remarkable similarities with GW170817 and suggests that these events may be from the same family of objects.
Researchers have discovered an ultra-stripped supernova, a rare type of supernova believed to play a role in forming binary neutron star systems. The discovery advances understanding of gravitational waves and the origin of precious metals.
A Caltech-led team observed a faint and rapidly fading supernova, suggesting the presence of an unseen companion gravitationally siphoning away the star's mass. The explosion resulted in a dead neutron star orbiting its dense companion, marking the first time scientists have witnessed the birth of a compact neutron star binary system.
Astronomers have observed a massive star's death, creating a compact neutron star binary system. The explosion was unusually faint and the star had an unseen companion that siphoned away most of its mass.
The RIT-led collaboration simulates neutron star mergers, linking them to the creation of heavy elements like gold and platinum. The project aims to improve understanding of binary neutron star merger processes, including electromagnetic signals and strong gravitational wave signatures.
Researchers ran largest computer simulations of neutron star crusts to understand the possible sources of gravitational waves. They found that the material deep inside the neutron star is incredibly stiff, with 'nuclear pasta' shapes causing it to assemble into unique structures.
Astronomers used a continent-wide collection of radio telescopes to observe the aftermath of a neutron star merger and confirmed the presence of a narrow, fast-moving jet of material. The jet moved at nearly the speed of light and was likely powered by the gravitational energy released during the merger.
Researchers found that a small fraction of protons in neutron-dense objects significantly impact their stiffness, mass-to-size ratio, and cooling process. Protons are believed to determine several properties of the star due to their high energy content.
Researchers found that in neutron-rich objects, protons carry a disproportionate part of the average energy, moving faster than neutrons. The team analyzed data from CLAS experiments and observed a significant increase in the probability of protons having high energies as the number of neutrons increased.
Researchers propose using gravitational waves to estimate the Hubble constant and measure the rate of the expanding universe. By detecting gravitational waves from rare black hole-neutron star binary systems, scientists can obtain an independent and precise measurement of their distance and velocity.
A research team led by astronomers at the University of Warwick observed a jet of material streaming out from a merged star, confirming a key prediction about the aftermath of neutron star mergers. The observations were made using the Hubble Space Telescope and reveal that every neutron star merger likely creates a gamma-ray burst.
Researchers set limits on neutron star sizes by analyzing billions of theoretical models, refining estimates to within 1.5 kilometers. The study also explores the possibility of 'twin stars' with exotic properties, which are statistically rare and unlikely to be deformed during mergers.
Researchers confirmed that last fall's union of two neutron stars caused a short gamma-ray burst, revealing a key relationship between binary neutron star mergers, gravitational waves and GRBs. Short gamma-ray bursts are the universe's most powerful electromagnetic events.
A study reveals that neutron star magnetic hot spots can survive for millions of years despite the overall magnetic field decay. The simulations show strong electric currents producing heat, explaining the strange behavior of magnetars like SGR 0418+5729.
Researchers have developed a novel mathematical model combining general relativity with quantum vacuum polarization, enabling the existence of ultracompact stars and new stellar configurations. The study suggests that these stars could be detectable in future gravitational wave observatories.
Researchers have identified a fourth ULX as a neutron star, shedding new light on how these objects can shine so brightly. The study found unusual dip in the ULX's light spectrum attributed to cyclotron resonance scattering, revealing strong magnetic fields around the neutron star.
The team discovered DES16C2nm, a superluminous supernova, in the Dark Energy Survey, providing insights into the explosion and its potential connection to magnetars. The detection offers opportunities for advances in stellar astrophysics and cosmology, allowing researchers to study the expansion history of the universe.
BurstCube will detect gamma-ray bursts caused by massive star collapses and neutron star mergers, as well as solar flares. The mission uses miniaturized detector technology to study these high-energy events and their origins.
Astronomers studying the aftermath of a distant neutron-star merger are puzzled by the continued brightening of its afterglow, which defies initial expectations. New X-ray observations suggest a more complex emission process, potentially involving a hot 'cocoon' around a jet that shock-heated surrounding debris.
The observation of two neutron stars merging generated tiny ripples in spacetime called gravitational waves, detected by LIGO detectors on Earth. This event also triggered an explosion studied by hundreds of astronomers worldwide, marking a major breakthrough in astrophysics and offering new tools for observing the universe.
Astronomers detected radio waves from a neutron-star collision, confirming a new explanation for the phenomenon. The observations suggest a 'cocoon' model, where the jet gathers up surrounding material, producing broad electromagnetic radiation.
The collision produced gravitational waves and detected radio waves, which led to the discovery of a 'cocoon', a broader outflow of radio-emitting material, rather than a fast-moving jet. This finding provides more insight into short gamma-ray bursts.
Researchers will track ultra-heavy cosmic rays using the Super Trans-Iron Galactic Element Recorder (SuperTIGER) instrument. The mission seeks to understand how and where heavy elements are formed in stars.
A team of scientists used computer simulations based on recent observations to determine the radius of neutron stars. The calculations suggest a minimum radius of 10.7 km for these dense objects.
Physicists Denis A. Baiko and Andrew A. Kozhberov studied the effects of strong magnetic fields and electron screening on ion motion in a Coulomb crystal. Their calculations can help understand the thermal evolution of neutron stars and white dwarfs.
Two Princeton astrophysicists have received funding to investigate the physics of merging neutron stars, which produce heavy elements found in our bodies. The project aims to improve our understanding of these events and their observable signatures.
The collision of neutron stars has been observed directly for the first time, confirming a key aspect of Albert Einstein's General Relativity theory. The detection, made possible by a global research collaboration, reveals that gravitational waves and gamma ray bursts are produced during these collisions.
Researchers witnessed electromagnetic signals associated with the gravitational wave emission from a neutron star merger, complementing observations from multiple telescopes. This breakthrough marks the beginning of Multi-Messenger astrophysics, allowing scientists to study single events using various techniques.
The Los Alamos team used supercomputers to analyze gravitational wave data from a neutron star merger, confirming the formation of heavy elements beyond iron. The observation also provided the first direct detection of gravitational waves in gamma rays, confirming Einstein's prediction.
For the first time, astronomers have observed a celestial event through both conventional telescopes and gravitational waves. The collision of two super-dense neutron stars just 120 million light-years from Earth was captured by both gravity wave observatories and telescopes.
Researchers observe historic detection of neutron star merger in both gravitational waves and the entire spectrum of light, offering insights into a cosmic event. The merger, named GW170817, revealed properties of the dense neutron stars and their collision, providing new opportunities for gravitational testing.
The team used the Swope telescope to discover the light produced by the merger and obtained the earliest spectra of the collision. These observations may allow scientists to explain how many of the universe's heavy elements were created.
Scientists at Oregon State University predicted a short gamma-ray burst detection, which was confirmed just a month later. The OSU team predicted the event based on their understanding of binary neutron star systems and gravitational waves.
For the first time, astronomers have observed a cataclysmic cosmic event that generated gravitational waves detected on Earth. The event was the merger of two neutron stars in a galaxy 130 million light-years away, resulting in a supernova-like explosion.