Researchers recently announced the discovery of a new stellar object in the cosmos: GPM J1839-10.
Stellar Oddball
Ars Technica reports that the object has the behavior of a pulsar that emits regular radio energy bursts. However, for pulsars, the physics behind them entails that these objects would stop this energy expulsion if they significantly slowed down. In fact, almost every known pulsar blinks once every minute.
However, this odd stellar object flashes out radio signals every 22 minutes, which makes its course remarkably slow compared to others, Science Alert explains.
Interestingly, archival investigations further reveal that scientists have been documenting the object's slow pulse for more than three decades.
There is only one other similar object, GLEAM-X J162759.5-523504.3, which was found three years ago across the Milky Way galaxy. Its discovery was also hinted at through archival information. This object was found to emit radio waves for roughly a minute every 18 minutes. However, it was observed to have gone quiet in 2018. Since then, the object has not been heard.
In pursuit of finding similar objects, the team of Natasha Hurley-Walker, an astrophysicist from the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research's (ICAR) Curtin University node, examined the southern sky with Australia's Murchison Widefield Array to perform a survey. It was through these efforts that they were able to find the odd object that has radio bursts that last for five minutes every 22 minutes. Their findings were detailed in the Nature journal.
The researchers also looked at the coordinates using other telescopes. They also sourced the location's archival information. The novel observations enabled them to intricately characterize the radio waves.
Mystery Behind the Odd Stellar Object and Its Slow Pulse
The research team explains that the likeliest reason is that the signals come from a slow-spinning magnetar. Hurley-Walker adds that the odd object challenges current knowledge regarding magnetars and neutron stars.
Similar to a magnetar, the odd stellar object releases remarkably powerful magnetic fields. These fields produce strong energy bursts that the Earth could pick up as radio waves, Cosmos Magazine explains. However, unlike the rare known magnetars, this object does not pulse every few minutes or seconds, but every 22 minutes.
Science Alert also adds that a magnetic field's strength correlates with the spin period of the magnetar. The strength should exceed a particular threshold known as the death line in order to emit strong radio bursts.
Hurley-Walker explains that the odd stellar object has a remarkably slow spin and does not exceed the death line. The astrophysicist adds that if the object is assumed to be a magnetar, it should not be capable of producing radio signals.
However, the waves are there. They take place every 22 minutes and last for five minutes. The object has been doing it for the past 33 years or so. Hurley-Walker explains that whatever mechanism operates behind the scenes is quite extraordinary.
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