FAST discovers three new pulsars in an old globular cluster
December 21, 2023
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Astronomers using China’s 500-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) have discovered three new pulsars in an ancient globular galaxy cluster known as Messier 15. Two of these are
Astronomers using China’s 500-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) have discovered three new pulsars in an ancient globular galaxy cluster known as Messier 15. Two of these are long-period pulsars, and the other is spinning so fast that it is classified as a pulsar. millisecond pulsar. The discovery was reported in an article published on the preprint server on December 11. arXiv.
Pulsars are strongly magnetized, rotating neutron stars that emit a beam of electromagnetic radiation. The fastest spinning pulsars, with spin times of less than 30 milliseconds, are called millisecond pulsars (MSPs). Astronomers propose that they form in binary systems when the more massive component first collapses into a neutron star, which then spins upwards with accretion of material from the secondary star.
Located approximately 35,700 light-years from Earth, Messier 15 (also known as NGC 7078) is a collapsed core with a radius of approximately 88 light-years and an estimated mass of 560,000 solar masses. It is one of the oldest (about 12 billion years) and most metal-poor galactic SHs (metallicity about -2.25) and one of the most densely packed SHs in our galaxy.
Location of pulsars and X-ray sources on Messier 15. Image credit: arXiv (2023). DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2312.06067
Previous observations of Messier 15 had revealed nine pulsars, with the first identified in 1989. According to simulations, Messier 15 may be one of the GCs with the most pulsars. Therefore, a team of astronomers led by Yuxiao Wu from Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications in China decided to look for a pulsar in this cluster using FAST.
The newly discovered pulsars were named PSR J2129+1210J, PSR J2129+1210K and PSR J2129+1210L. Observations revealed that PSR J2129+1210J is an MSP, while the other two are long-period pulsars.
According to the study, PSR J2129+1210J is an isolated pulsar with a rotation period of approximately 11.84 milliseconds and its dispersion size is calculated as 66.68 pc/cm.3. PSR J2129+1210K has a spin period of approximately 1.93 seconds and a dispersion measure of 68.01 pc/cc.3.
With a spin period of 3.96 seconds, PSR J2129+1210L is the longest spinning pulsar known to date in the GC. The distribution of this pulsar was found to be approximately 67.1 units/cm2.3.
The exact locations of PSR J2129+1210K and PSR J2129+1210L are still unknown, but they are likely not far from Messier 15’s core, the researchers noted. Therefore, more observations are needed to find their exact location, which will help in identification. whether young or recycled pulsars.
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