Articles tagged with Pulsars
Astronomers have confirmed the connection between magnetars and superluminous supernovae, finding definitive evidence for a magnetar forming in the core collapse of a recent supernova. The discovery corroborates a theory proposed 16 years ago and establishes a new phenomenon in exploding stars.
The Crab Pulsar's unique zebra stripes are shaped by the combination of gravity's lensing effects and plasma's defocusing power. Light rays are spread apart by plasma and pulled inward by gravity, creating interference patterns that produce bright bands and darkness between them.
A SETI Institute team monitored pulsar PSR J0332+5434 for 10 months to study its radio signal twinkling as it passes through gas between the star and Earth. The team observed slow, significant changes in the twinkling pattern over time, which can help distinguish human-made radio signals from signals from other star systems.
Researchers propose a method to distinguish between nanohertz gravitational wave sources using pulsar timing arrays. By searching for beat phenomena in the tiny shifts of pulsars' radio-pulse arrival times, scientists can identify specific, nearby binary supermassive black hole systems.
A team of Australian scientists has performed a CT scan of the interstellar medium using a scintillating pulsar, mapping previously unseen layers of plasma. The study reveals an unexpected abundance of compact plasma blobs within the Local Bubble and measures the three-dimensional shape of a bow shock for the first time.
Researchers found a high-velocity star ejected from a globular cluster at an extreme velocity of nearly 550 km/s, suggesting the presence of an intermediate-mass black hole. The star's similarities with the cluster's chemical composition and age provide strong evidence for the IMBH's existence.
Researchers have discovered that radio pulses lasting seconds to minutes are due to two stars coming together, rather than emissions from a single star. The study used a novel imaging technique to detect periodic radio signals in data taken with the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR), an international radio telescope.
Researchers used pulsar accelerations and stellar velocities to determine the presence of a cluster of stellar mass black holes at the centre of Omega Centauri. The study refines understanding of the formation of these intermediate-mass black holes, which could bridge the gap between stellar and supermassive black holes.
A study published in The Astrophysical Journal reveals that pulsar signals change as they move through the interstellar medium, highlighting a need for updates to current ISM density models. The research found that models incorporating galactic structures tend to better fit the data, but predictions of newly discovered pulsars were worse.
The Crab Pulsar features a unique zebra pattern due to diffraction in the electromagnetic pulses caused by its dense plasma. Researchers have proposed various emission mechanisms, but none have convincingly explained the observed patterns until now.
Researchers, including WVU astronomer Emmanuel Fonseca, use radio pulsars to detect gravitational waves generated by massive objects. The study will merge data from the Green Bank Telescope and CHIME radio telescope to achieve full coverage of each wave, revealing information about phenomenon and objects in distant galaxies.
Researchers found that pairs of supermassive black holes can merge due to previously overlooked behavior of dark matter particles, proposing a solution to the longstanding final parsec problem. This discovery provides insight into the nature of dark matter and its interaction with supermassive black holes.
Researchers found deviations in pulse arrival times that indicate unseen concentrations of mass, which could be dark matter objects. The study improves pulsar timing data sample, shedding new light on dark matter distribution in the Milky Way.
Researchers propose that simple forms of ultra-light scalar field matter could generate detectable gravitational wave backgrounds soon after the Big Bang. This discovery could shed light on dark matter and its role in the universe's mass, offering a new avenue for fundamental physics research.
Researchers have proposed a new model explaining neutron star glitches, suggesting that the power-law behavior of glitch energies is due to the formation of twisted clusters of superfluid vortices. The study found that the exponent for the power-law behavior closely matched the observed data.
Physicists have developed a new method to detect gravitational waves with extremely low frequencies, potentially revealing insights into the early universe. The technique analyzes pulsar data and has increased the
Researchers use James Webb Space Telescope to observe Supernova 1987A and detect ionised argon and sulphur atoms, providing conclusive evidence for a neutron star's presence. The discovery sheds light on the formation of heavy elements and the nature of compact objects in supernovae.
Researchers found an unknown object orbiting a rapidly spinning millisecond pulsar, weighing more than the heaviest neutron stars and less than the lightest black holes. The discovery was made using the MeerKAT Radio Telescope and could reveal new insights into black holes and neutron stars.
The new catalog of gamma-ray pulsars, compiled from the work of 170 scientists globally, reveals a significant increase in gamma-ray emitting pulsars discovered by NASA's Fermi mission. This discovery sheds light on astrophysics research and offers insights into cosmic rays, stellar evolution, gravitational waves, and dark matter.
Scientists propose that pulsars could detect dark matter by observing a subtle additional glow. If axions are produced in strong electromagnetic fields around pulsars, they could convert into observable light.
Researchers using H.E.S.S. observatory in Namibia have detected the highest energy gamma rays ever from a dead star called a pulsar, with energies reaching up to 20 tera-electronvolts. This observation challenges our previous knowledge of pulsars and requires a rethinking of how these natural accelerators work.
A WVU astronomer is searching the Milky Way for debris left behind by supernovas, with $331,170 in NSF funding. He hopes to discover new supernova remnants using radio wavelength data from telescopes and machine-learning software.
Researchers detected distinct 'dwarf pulses' from PSR B2111+46 using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope. These narrow, weak pulses exhibit a rare reversed spectrum and are produced by one or a few particles generated by pair production in a fragile gap of the pulsar's magnetosphere.
Researchers report evidence of a cosmic background of gravitational waves likely produced by the merger of supermassive black hole binaries. The signal is detected through millisecond pulsar observations and has implications for our understanding of the universe's large-scale structure.
An international team of scientists reported on a radio pulsar phase from a Galactic magnetar, revealing unique emission mechanisms for 'bursts' and 'pulses'. The study provides clues to the formation theory of fast radio bursts.
A team of Chinese scientists has found key evidence for the existence of nanohertz gravitational waves, marking a new era in nanohertz gravitational wave research. The detection will help astronomers understand the formation of universe structures and investigate supermassive black holes.
Researchers from West Virginia University have made a groundbreaking discovery by detecting evidence of low-frequency gravitational waves, which can only be perceived with a detector much larger than the Earth. The signal was detected using pulsar timing arrays and has significant implications for understanding spacetime dynamics.
Researchers using CSIRO's Parkes radio telescope have found strongest evidence yet for low-frequency gravitational waves, providing further insight into Einstein's general theory of relativity. The discovery, published in several journal papers, has also sparked collaboration among international teams searching for similar signals.
The NANOGrav team has detected a collective hum of gravitational waves from merging supermassive black holes, providing evidence for a background undulation in spacetime. The signal is thought to be generated by huge black holes at galaxy centers, producing low-frequency gravitational waves that oscillate slowly over years and decades.
A team of researchers using radio telescope observations found evidence of gravitational waves passing through the Milky Way, causing spacetime distortions that appear as variations in pulsar ticking rates. The discovery provides insights into how galaxies evolve and supermassive black holes grow and merge.
Researchers from the University of Florida have discovered evidence for gravitational waves at very low frequencies, consistent with Einstein's theory. The detection uses a network of radio telescopes to capture millisecond pulsars and create a galaxy-scale gravitational-wave detector.
A multiyear NSF project led by OSU scientists has found evidence of low-frequency gravitational waves permeating the universe. The 'chorus' of gravitational waves was discovered using radio pulsar timing and reveals that they are a ubiquitous physical phenomenon.
Researchers have found evidence for gravitational waves oscillating with periods of years to decades, consistent with slowly undulating waves passing through the Galaxy. The signal was observed using a collection of cosmic clocks called pulsars, which are ultra-dense remnants of massive stars' cores.
Researchers with the NANOGrav collaboration have detected the gravitational wave background for the first time, revealing a perpetual chorus of ripples in space-time. The discovery is made possible by observing stars called pulsars that act as celestial metronomes.
The NANOGrav team has detected evidence of gravitational waves at very low frequencies, which they believe may be caused by the merger of supermassive black holes. The signal is thought to be a result of the gravitational wave background produced by these binary systems.
Researchers have discovered a binary pulsar with a 53-minute orbital period, filling the gap in the evolution of spider pulsar systems. The finding confirms the existence of an intermediate state between redback and black widow spiders, a long-held theory.
Scientists have discovered a rare type of white dwarf pulsar, shedding light on stellar evolution and the origin of strong magnetic fields. The newly detected pulsar, J1912-4410, has a size similar to Earth but a mass at least as large as the Sun.
A team led by Akshay Suresh is searching for periodic signals in the Milky Way's core, which could be a strategic site for an extraterrestrial beacon. The Breakthrough Listen Investigation for Periodic Spectral Signals (BLIPSS) uses novel methodology to sift through data and identify potential evidence of advanced life forms.
Scientists discover first gamma-ray eclipses from spider star systems using Fermi data, calculating system tilt and pulsar mass. The discovery helps researchers measure pulsar masses, constraining physics within extreme environments.
A team of researchers has discovered that gamma-ray radiation from the Sagittarius Dwarf galaxy can be explained by millisecond pulsars, ruling out dark matter annihilation as a possible explanation. The study reveals that these stellar objects are efficient accelerators of high-energy electrons and positrons.
Researchers have discovered a new millisecond pulsar in the globular cluster NGC 6397, shedding light on the apparent overabundance of isolated pulsars. The newly found pulsar, PSR J1740-5340B, has a faint radio signal and extended quiescent periods, suggesting it may be representative of a subgroup of hard-to-detect binary pulsars.
Astronomers have long sought the launch sites for high-energy protons in our galaxy, and NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has confirmed that a supernova remnant is just such a place. The shock waves of exploded stars boost particles to speeds comparable to light, producing a tell-tale glow in gamma rays.
The heaviest neutron star detected has consumed nearly all the mass of its companion, growing into a record-breaking object. The study provides constraints on matter's behavior at extreme densities, potentially excluding exotic states of matter.
Researchers have detected a persistent radio signal from a far-off galaxy that repeats every 0.2 seconds in a clear periodic pattern, similar to a heartbeat. The source of the signal is unknown but may be related to a radio pulsar or magnetar, which could provide an astrophysical clock for measuring the universe's expansion.
Scientists have found evidence for a young and extremely powerful neutron star, dubbed VT 1137-0337, in a dwarf galaxy 395 million light-years from Earth. The pulsar is thought to be as young as 14 years old and has the strongest magnetic field of any known object.
A team of researchers suggests millisecond pulsars could be responsible for the unexplained gamma-ray signal from the Milky Way center. The study proposes a new population of astrophysical sources in the Galaxy's center, which would help understand the star formation history of our Milky Way.
Researchers have identified the rarest type of black widow binary yet, featuring a pulsar and a third star that orbits every 10,000 years. The system, ZTF J1406+1222, has the shortest orbital period ever recorded, with the pulsar and companion star circling each other in just 62 minutes.
Researchers developed a new system using x-ray signals from pulsars to determine spacecraft location without prior information, allowing for autonomous navigation and reduced reliance on ground infrastructure. The algorithm combines observations from numerous pulsars to narrow down possible locations.
A team of researchers from Australian National University has found an alternative explanation for the mysterious Galactic Centre Excess, a gamma-ray signal long claimed as a signature of dark matter. The team proposes that the signal may actually come from rapidly-rotating neutron stars, known as millisecond pulsars.
The Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission enables new measurements of cosmic X-ray sources, such as pulsars, black holes, and neutron stars. With its state-of-the-art telescopes and detectors, IXPE will provide high-quality polarization data of various sources, including supernova remnants, active galaxies, and blazars.
Astronomers used over a decade of Fermi data to search for signs of long gravitational waves from supermassive black hole pairs. Although no waves were detected, the analysis shows that with more observations, these waves may be within Fermi's reach.
Astronomers have been searching for low-frequency gravitational waves by monitoring pulsar pulses, but now NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope can also be used to detect these waves. The satellite's high-energy light provides a clearer view of pulsars and offers an independent method to detect gravitational waves.
Astronomers have discovered a binary system consisting of a rapidly spinning neutron star and the precursor to an extremely-low-mass white dwarf, dubbed a 'cosmic spider'. The system emits powerful gamma-rays and has been observed using the SOAR Telescope in Chile.
Researchers have conducted a 16-year experiment to challenge Einstein's theory with pulsars, revealing relativistic effects for the first time and confirming predictions with precision. The study uses the unique Double Pulsar system, which consists of two orbiting radio pulsars, providing an ideal laboratory for testing gravity theories.
A team of international researchers challenged Einstein's theory of general relativity using pulsars as a cosmic laboratory. They detected new relativistic effects, including light deflection and time dilation, with unprecedented precision. The study provides significant insights into gravity theories and the fundamental forces of nature.
A team of scientists used uGMRT to study eclipses of millisecond pulsars, finding that absorption by magnetized materials from the companion star is the cause. The study provides insight into the evolutionary processes and ultimate fate of these exotic systems.
Researchers at the University of Birmingham explore new approaches to detecting low-frequency gravitational waves using pulsars and other measurements. They suggest combining these methods with observations from projects like Gaia, which could help disentangle and interpret signals from the earliest periods of the universe.
A nearly $2 million NSF grant will accelerate the hunt for low-frequency gravitational waves using high-precision timing observations of exotic stars called millisecond pulsars. WVU's Maura McLaughlin is principal investigator on the project, which aims to discover new types of gravitational waves and expand the IPTA's reach globally.
West Virginia University is part of a team awarded $17 million from the National Science Foundation to renew the NANOGrav Physics Frontiers Center. The center aims to detect gravitational waves using pulsar timing arrays and will advance research in fundamental physics.
The Galactic Plane Pulsar Snapshot (GPPS) has discovered 201 pulsars using the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), including many very faint and millisecond pulsars. The survey reveals more electrons in the Milky Way's spiral arms than previously known.