Found "missing link" between magnetars and rotating pulsars

Magnetars are a subtype of pulsars that are neutron stars.

were able to become black holes, and instead became extremely dense bodies composed mostly of neutrons.Magnetars, as well as some young pulsars with rotational force (this is a different type of pulsar) radiateHowever, the mechanism of emission in these pulsars is thought to be different.Scientists believe that in such magnetars, the rays are powered by extremely strong magnetic fields, whereas in canonical pulsars they are powered byHowever, much of these phenomena is not well understood.More recently, it has been discovered that several magnetars emit radio waves, a property previously thought to be limited for canonical pulsars with rotational force, blurring the boundary between different kinds of stars.

As part of the current research, work,conducted by Chin-Ping Hu, a visiting researcher on the RIKEN Hakubi extreme natural phenomena group, and his colleagues, has identified the missing link between the two types of pulsars.

On March 12, a new gamma ray burst was discoveredThe Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) aboard the Neil Gerels Swift Observatory, the space-based gamma ray observatory. The object considered to be a magnetar was named Swift J1818.0-1607. The RIKEN group and the NICER team quickly took action. Four hours after the discovery, the scientists began follow-up X-ray observations with NICER.

They found out that this magnetar has a periodpulsation was 1.36 seconds, the shortest observed so far in stars of this type. Further observations showed that the object exhibits slow rotation. Its surface magnetic field indicated it was a young magnetar, formed about 420 years ago. Studies of sudden changes in rotation frequency (which are important for understanding neutron stars) have shown that this star is indeed a young magnetar. However, it turned out that its X-ray emission is lower than that of other magnetars. This suggests that this star has the attributes of both magnetars and rotating pulsars.

This study gave scientists new insightsneutron stars with strong magnetic fields. Recent radio observations show that magnetars can be responsible for mysterious phenomena such as fast radio bursts. The team is looking forward to further research on the facility.

According to Teruaki Enoto, team leaderresearch of extreme natural phenomena RIKEN Hakubi, “The discovery of a new magnetar is exactly what our NICER scientific group, engaged in the study of such stars and magnetosphere, was waiting for. The NICER observatory is very well suited for monitoring X-ray pulsations from magnetars and the 'bridge' between the two types of pulsars that we have discovered has contributed to our understanding of these mysterious objects. "

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