Why would a spinning adept suddenly slow down ? Even after publish a scientific newspaper publisher about the phenomenon , astronomers still appear to be in shock - and - veneration mood about what they pick up .
Top look-alike : Artist ’s conception of a neutron wizard flash . Credit : University of California Santa Cruz
“ I count at the data point and was shocked — the … headliner had suddenly slowed down , ” stated Rob Archibald , a graduate student at McGill University in Montreal . “ These stars are not reckon to bear this way . ”
Archibald led a mathematical group that was observing aneutron star , a eccentric of really , really dense target produce after huge star run out of flatulence and collapse . The study superstar ( called 1E 2259 + 586 , if you ’re curious ) has a massive magnetic field that lay it in a subcategory of neutron sensation calledmagnetars .
Anyway , the astronomers were watch over the magnetar with the NASA Swift X - ray telescope , just to get a sensation of the star ’s rotation and also to keep an oculus out for the odd X - ray explosion ordinarily seen in star of this eccentric . But to see its spin rate reduce — that was unquestionably something unexpected .
Previous neutron ace observations have showed them abruptly rotate faster ( as if spinning up to several hundred times a second was n’t enough . ) This maneuver is prognosticate a glitch , and is think to bechance because the neutron has some sort of fluid ( sometimes send for a “ superfluid ” ) inside that drives the rotation .
So now , the astronomer had evidence of an “ anti - glitch ” , a star slow up down alternatively of speed up . It was n’t by much ( just a third of a part per million in the seven - 2d rotary motion charge per unit ) , but while it happen they also go through X - rays considerably increase from the magnetar . Astronomers believe that something major happened either inside , or near the Earth’s surface of the star .
The magnetic field surrounding a magnetar ( NASA )
And , astronomer added , if they can figure out what is happening , it could shed some light source on what exactly is go on in that dense interior . Maybe the fluid is splay at different rates , or something else is break on .
“ Such behaviour is not predicted by models of neutron star tailspin - down and , if of intragroup origin , is revelatory of differential rotation in the magnetar , supporting the want for a rethinking of bug theory for all neutron stars , ” read a paper on the results .
The work was let go today ( May 29 ) at the Canadian Astronomical Society ( CASCA ) ’s annual meeting , view as this twelvemonth in Vancouver .
you may read the entire paper inNature .
credit entry : CASCA / McGill University
This situation by Elizabeth Howelloriginally appeared at Universe Today . Elizabeth Howell is an honor - winning freelance infinite journalist living in Ottawa , Canada . She reported on three shuttle launching , including the first launching “ tweetup ” during STS-129 . Besides Universe Today , she regularly writes for SPACE.com , the Space Exploration web and All About Space , among other publications . you’re able to follow her on Twitter @howellspace or meet her ather site .
Neutron starPhysicsSolar flaresSpacestars
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