Neutron stars typically have about 40 % more mass than our Sun with a diameter of only about 20 kilometres. This image shows a neutron star next to Hannover, a site of the @mpi_grav.
Researchers from the permanent independent research group “Continuous Gravitational Waves” use these very waves to search for otherwise invisible neutron stars.
:blobwizard: Gravitational waves reveal “mystery object” merging with a neutron star | @arstechnica
「 “The idea of a gap between neutron-star and black-hole masses, an idea that has been around for a quarter of a century, was driven by such electromagnetic observations. GW230529 is an exciting discovery because it hints at this ‘mass gap’ being less empty than astronomers previously thought 」
However, a secondary paper from a few days back, which also used JWST MIRI, found no evidence of the compact remnant in their data: https://arxiv.org/html/2402.14014v1
Almost 2 years ago I wrote a feature article looking at the evidence for this, so these new papers and findings are exciting!
Neutron stars exhibit a peculiar behavior known as a “glitch”, where the star suddenly speeds up its spin.
A collaboration between quantum physicists and astrophysicists has achieved a significant breakthrough in understanding neutron star glitches. They were able to numerically simulate this enigmatic cosmic phenomenon with ultracold dipolar atoms.
Researchers using the JWST recently detected the heavy element tellurium in the ejecta of two colliding neutron stars whose cataclysmic merger was detected in March this year by several observatories.
Neutron star mergers create gamma-ray bursts, gravitational waves and many elements with large atomic weights.
In the spectral data below, a distinct peak can be seen in the region of the spectrum associated with tellurium.
A neutron star is the collapsed remains of a massive star, that has exploded as a supernova.
Neutron stars, composed primarily of neutrons, have a radius of ~10 km and mass of about 1.4 Suns. A teaspoon of a neutron star would have the mass of about 5.5 trillion kg.
The supernova explosion creates and spreads heavy elements shown in post #4 in yellow.
The Milky Way is estimated to have about one billion neutron stars.
Neutron star binaries gradually spiral inward due to loss of orbital energy caused by gravitational radiation. When the two neutron stars meet, their merger leads to an intense release of energy and the formation of either a more massive neutron star or a black hole.
Neutron star mergers create gamma-ray bursts, gravitational waves and many elements with large atomic weights shown in post #4.
Many of the heavy elements, synthesized in supernova explosions and neutron star mergers, are essential to life as we know it.
Even though tellurium is not essential to human life, heavy elements like Zn, Co, Cu, Se, Mo (Molybdenum) and I (Iodine) are. There are additional elements essential to other mammals and non-mammals.
As Sagan said, we're indeed made of star stuff, including stuff created in supernova explosions and neutron star mergers.
For anyone interested to learn/read about the exciting possibility of probing #neutronstar physics with ultra-cold atom gases, I was interviewed recently by knowable magazine on the topic.
Dead 'vampire' star is feeding on a companion and firing out cosmic cannonballs (www.space.com)
"Enormous amounts of matter, similar to cosmic cannonballs, are launched into space within a very brief time span."
Something in space has been lighting up every 20 minutes since 1988 (arstechnica.com)
We have no explanations for this sort of slow repeat.