Articles tagged with Pulsars
A new way to weigh planets has been developed using radio signals from small spinning stars called pulsars, providing an independent check on previous results. The measurements of planet masses made this new way could feed into data needed for future space missions.
A team of astrophysicists has observed dramatic flares and bursts of energy from a weakly magnetized, slowly rotating pulsar, challenging the understanding of how these events occur in normal, low-field neutron stars. The discovery indicates that internal magnetic fields may be responsible for powering these phenomena.
Astronomers detected X-ray eclipses from a fast pulsar, shedding light on compressed matter and testing relativity. The system's unique properties revealed the size and mass of the companion star with unprecedented accuracy.
Researchers credited with discovery, PSR J2007+2722, a neutron star rotating 41 times per second, has no orbiting companion and is likely recycled or young, sparking interest in basic physics of neutron stars. This is the first genuine astronomical discovery by a public volunteer distributed computing project.
A team of volunteer researchers have discovered a new radio pulsar, PSR J2007+2722, in data from the Arecibo Observatory. The pulsar is believed to be a disrupted recycled pulsar, spinning at an unprecedented 41 times per second, offering insights into neutron star formation and evolution.
Researchers have discovered that many pulsar characteristics are linked due to an underlying cause. The study used observations of 366 pulsars collected over several decades and found that the magnetosphere switches back and forth between two different states.
A team of scientists has developed a method to correct the irregularities in pulsar spin rates, enabling them to serve as more accurate clocks. This breakthrough could help detect gravitational waves, which are believed to exist but have yet to be directly observed.
Radio astronomers discovered 17 millisecond pulsars using Fermi's high-energy sources, which could be used to detect gravitational waves. These pulsars are nature's most precise clocks, with long-term stability that rivals human-made atomic clocks.
Astronomers have created a breakthrough in finding natural cosmic tools to detect gravitational waves. Gamma-ray telescopes have guided radio astronomers to specific locations in the sky where they can discover new millisecond pulsars, which can serve as precise and stable clocks for detecting gravitational waves.
Astronomers analyzed gamma-rays from two dozen pulsars, including 16 discovered by Fermi, revealing unprecedented power for discovering and studying gamma-ray pulsars. The studies shed light on the nature of unidentified gamma-ray sources in our galaxy.
A new class of pulsars detected by NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope reveals the existence of a large population of radio-quiet gamma-ray pulsars. The study identifies 16 pulsars using computational techniques developed to analyze data from the Fermi Large Area Telescope.
Researchers observe transformation of an ordinary, slow-rotating pulsar into a superfast millisecond pulsar with an almost infinitely extended lifespan. The discovery provides direct evidence for the process of cosmic recycling, where matter from a companion star falls into a pulsar's gravity well, increasing its rotation speed.
Astronomers have discovered a unique double-star system that represents a 'missing link' stage in the birth process of millisecond pulsars. The system, J1023, shows evidence for an accretion disk surrounding the neutron star before it disappeared and the pulsar emerged.
The Einstein@Home project is analyzing Arecibo radio data to find binary systems consisting of neutron stars or black holes. The large computational capabilities of the project will enable detection of pulsars in binary systems with orbital periods as short as 11 minutes.
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has discovered 12 new gamma-ray-only pulsars and detected pulses from 18 others. The finds are challenging our previous understanding of how pulsars work, with gamma rays now believed to originate far above the neutron star.
Astronomers have discovered a pulsar that blinks only in gamma-rays, providing new insights into stellar evolution. The pulsar, located in the CTA 1 supernova remnant, is thought to be part of a large population of similar objects, offering researchers a unique way to study stars in our universe.
Scientists have discovered a 10,000-year-old stellar corpse that only pulses in gamma rays, providing fundamental insights into the behavior of collapsed stars. The pulsar, located about 4,600 light-years away, emits 1,000 times the energy of our sun and is thought to be part of a larger population of similar objects.
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has revealed the entire gamma-ray sky, discovering pulsars in our galaxy and powerful processes near supermassive black holes. The telescope's first all-sky image shows glowing gas, blinking pulsars, and a flaring galaxy billions of light-years away.
The Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope has revealed its first all-sky map in gamma rays, showcasing the glowing gas of the Milky Way and pulsars in unprecedented detail. The telescope's high-energy capabilities will enable discoveries of new pulsars and reveal powerful processes near super-massive black holes.
Researchers used a rare double-star system to test Albert Einstein's theory of General Relativity, finding that the famed physicist's 93-year-old theory has passed yet another test. The study confirmed that the strong gravity of the neutron stars causes one to wobble or precess.
Researchers confirmed Einstein's theory of general relativity using observations of a unique pulsar system. The discovery shows that one pulsar is 'wobbling' in space, a effect precisely as predicted by Einstein.
Researchers at McGill University confirmed Einstein's prediction that a binary-pulsar system's spin axis should precess due to general relativity. The team observed the unique PSR J0737-3039A/B twin-pulsar system and found that one pulsar's spin axis is indeed precessing as predicted.
Researchers used LIGO data to analyze the Crab Pulsar, detecting signals that reveal no more than 4% of energy loss is due to gravitational radiation. The findings suggest other mechanisms, such as electromagnetic radiation and high-velocity particles, are responsible for the pulsar's slowing spin.
The study reveals that no more than 4% of energy loss is caused by gravitational waves, disproving a key hypothesis. The analysis provides valuable information about the pulsar and its structure, shedding light on the role of gravitational waves in its dynamics.
Researchers with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory Scientific Collaboration have ruled out emission of gravitational waves as a cause for the Crab Pulsar's spin braking. The study found that no more than 4% of the pulsar's energy loss is attributed to gravitational wave emission.
Researchers have discovered a neutron star that undergoes a dramatic transformation from a pulsar to a magnetar, providing insight into the evolutionary connection between these two types of ultradense objects. The discovery was made using data from NASA's Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer and Chandra X-ray Observatory satellites.
Astronomers have found a clue to the evolutionary relationship between pulsars and magnetars by examining archival RXTE data of a young neutron star. The study reveals that a regular pulsar can produce powerful bursts similar to those from magnetars, challenging current understanding of their life cycles.
New research by Arecibo Observatory increases the mass limit for neutron star formation into black holes, suggesting they may be more rare. Neutron stars are found to remain stable between 1.9 and 2.7 sun masses, contradicting previous thought.
A team of astronomers discovered that a white dwarf, AE Aquarii, emits high-energy X-rays as it whirls around on its axis, similar to the Crab Nebula's pulsar. This behavior indicates that white dwarfs can accelerate charged particles to near-light speed, potentially contributing to cosmic rays.
The Suzaku X-ray observatory has provided new insights into cosmic powerhouses, identifying pulsar wind nebulae as the source of high-energy gamma rays. The observations also suggest that these objects are accelerating mostly protons, leading to a better understanding of the origin of cosmic rays.
Astronomers study G292.0+1.8 supernova remnant to understand complex star death and dispersal of elements like oxygen into next generation of stars and planets. The new Chandra image shows an intricately structured debris field with varying temperatures, indicating lopsided explosion.
Astronomers found a low-mass companion to a rapidly spinning pulsar, which orbits the neutron star every 54.7 minutes at an average distance of 230,000 miles. The system is thought to have formed billions of years ago and is now accreting mass from the companion, causing an outburst.
Researchers using Arecibo Telescope discovered never-before-seen radio emission spectra from the Crab Nebula pulsar. The findings suggest an unknown magnetic pole, contradicting existing theories and challenging our understanding of pulsars.
Astronomers have used a pair of pulsars to show that general relativity is correct within 0.05% accuracy, the most stringent limit to date. The double-pulsar system provides independent tests of general relativity and its predictions, including gravitational waves and time dilation.
A US-Australian research team has detected radio pulses from a magnetar star, XTE J1810-197, which is giving off extraordinary radio pulses. The finding links this rare type of star with the much more common 'radio pulsars', reordering our understanding of these neutron stars.
Astronomers have discovered a unique pulsar that is only 'on' for part of the time, shedding light on how pulsars emit regular beams of radio waves. The pulsar, PSR B1931+24, slows down 50% faster when it's active compared to when it's not.
Researchers precisely measured the mass of a millisecond pulsar, PSR J1909-3744, using precise pulse arrival time measurements and disentangled the Shapiro delay effect from Roemer delay. The result reveals the white dwarf companion's mass to be 1.44 times that of the sun with an uncertainty of 0.02 solar masses.
The PULSE collaboration has achieved outstanding scientific results by studying pulsars to test fundamental laws and understand extreme conditions. They discovered the first known double pulsar, confirming Einstein's general theory of relativity.
Astronomers have discovered the smallest extra-solar planet to date, orbiting a pulsar in a planetary system resembling our own inner solar system. The new planet is estimated to be one-fifth the mass of Pluto and has an orbit approximately six times larger than its third planet.
The Arecibo telescope has been made more sensitive with the addition of the ALFA instrument, allowing for faster sky surveys and improved detection of pulsars and other rare celestial phenomena. The new device will also enable astronomers to map the neutral hydrogen gas in our galaxy and others.
The XMM-Newton satellite has discovered a faint X-ray glow from a very hot gas in the disk of the Andromeda Galaxy, suggesting recent star formation. Additionally, the team detected an accreting X-ray pulsar, a strongly magnetized neutron star drawing in material from its neighbor.
Researchers discovered pulsar bursts coming from beachball-sized structures in the Crab Nebula, a cloud of debris from a supernova. The structure's small size is inconsistent with all but one proposed theory for generating radio emission.
Researchers are using computer simulations to determine if the 47 Ursae Majoris system can contain an Earth-like planet. The system's asteroid belt is in the habitable zone, increasing the likelihood of finding a terrestrial planet.
Researchers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory have discovered a probable pulsar at the center of a 1,600-year-old supernova. The finding provides evidence for an associated pulsar and allows for detailed study of the supernova remnant. This discovery helps connect pulsars with massive stars from which they formed.
A team of astronomers has confirmed a key aspect of Einstein's general theory of relativity by measuring the precise orbit of a pulsar. The study used sophisticated instruments to record over 50,000 Gigabytes of data and demonstrated the predicted delay in radio pulses traveling through curved space-time.
Researchers using Chandra X-ray Observatory associate a pulsar with a historic supernova, dated back to 386 AD, providing strong evidence for the young age of the pulsar. The discovery challenges conventional wisdom on pulsars and their formation.
Scientists confirm pulsar formed in 386 AD supernova, a historic event witnessed by Chinese astronomers. The discovery, using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, provides strong evidence for the pulsar's age and sheds new light on the behavior of young neutron stars.
Researchers using the VLA radio telescope found a pulsar that is at least 40,000 years old and may be as old as 170,000 years. This discovery challenges current understanding of neutron stars and their ages.
New Chandra X-ray Observatory images reveal a luminous spike from a giant black hole, a compact nebular resembling a cosmic crossbow, and a hot bubble of gas surrounding a dying star. These observations contradict theoretical predictions, indicating the presence of high-energy particles beyond expectations.
Researchers have observed an 'earthquake' in a slow-spinning, highly magnetic collapsed star, confirming it as a neutron star. The finding supports the magnetar hypothesis and provides strong evidence for the existence of these rare objects.
Researchers discuss alternative theories for Magnetar outbursts, including the role of intense magnetic fields and environmental influences. The magnetar theory suggests that giant flare events occur when the neutron crust cracks, while an alternative explanation proposes a relativistic wind of interstellar material surrounding the SGR.
The 'braking glitch' in the spin rate of a soft gamma repeater (SGR) suggests a massive starquake may have occurred. The SGR's rotational period increased steadily until a rapid decrease was observed, indicating a massive energy release.
Dr. Colleen Wilson-Hodge, a NASA astrophysicist, has discovered two new X-ray pulsars using the Burst and Transient Source Experiment on NASA's Compton Gamma Ray Observatory. The pulsars are powered by accretion of material from companion stars and have strong gravity that pulls matter toward their surfaces.
Researchers have produced a new radio image revealing a supernova remnant and numerous pulsar candidates, showcasing the Milky Way's central region in unprecedented detail. The technique will be useful for astronomers to study the galaxy's major components.
Astronomers have discovered a large number of slow X-ray pulsars in supernova remnants, which are believed to be neutron stars with huge magnetic fields. These so-called magnetars rotate much slower than expected and are invisible to radio probes.
A new pulsar has been discovered orbiting a massive star, providing insights into the mysterious behavior of transient objects. The pulsar, named XTE J1946+274 or GRO J1944+26, exhibits complex orbital patterns and intense magnetic fields, challenging our understanding of these enigmatic celestial bodies.
Researchers found 'anomalous X-ray pulsars' in supernovae remnants, which spin slower and have stronger magnetic fields than radio pulsars. This discovery reverses the understanding of how pulsars behave after a star explodes as a supernova.
Researchers Dr. Jan van Paradijs and his team are using the Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) to study two Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs) - magnetar candidates - that differ from the bulk of X-ray pulsars due to their red X-ray colors and short pulse periods, indicating strong magnetic fields aging the pulsars faster.
Astronomers Renyue Cen suggests that gamma-ray bursts might come from supernovae expelling material at high speeds, producing jets that travel at nearly the speed of light. This theory could explain why some pulsars are moving faster than ordinary stars and potentially pose a catastrophic threat to Earth.
A rapidly spinning neutron star, SAX J1808.4-3658, is providing proof for the theory that millisecond pulsars are propelled to mind-boggling speeds by accretion of material from a companion star. This discovery fills an important niche in our understanding of star evolution.