At a Glance
- A recent study revealed that neutron stars can propel powerful jets into space at approximately one-third the speed of light.
- These jets are launched when material like dust and gas falls towards dense central objects like neutron stars or black holes. They carry away gravitational energy and recycle it on larger scales.
- Neutron stars are extremely dense stellar remnants with a solid surface and a magnetic field. These factors significantly impact how their jets are launched, making studies of neutron star jets particularly valuable.
- A recent experiment led by Thomas Russell from the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics in Palermo successfully measured the speed of neutron star jets by observing short-lived X-ray signals, providing a new technique for understanding the launch mechanism of these jets.
- Surprisingly, the study found that thermonuclear explosions on the neutron star’s surface, known as type-I X-ray bursts, actually powered up the jets instead of disrupting them, leading to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of these cosmic jets.
A recent study in Nature has shed light on the incredible speed at which neutron stars propel powerful jets into space. These energetic cosmic beams, known as jets, are typical in our universe and are launched when material, such as dust and gas, falls towards dense central objects like neutron stars or black holes.
Neutron stars, the remnants of massive stars, are incredibly dense, with a size comparable to a city but containing the mass of a star. Unlike black holes, neutron stars have a solid surface and a magnetic field, significantly impacting how their jets are launched. Understanding the speed of these jets can provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms.
Measuring the speed of these jets has been a significant challenge due to their steady flows. However, a recent experiment led by Thomas Russell from the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics in Palermo has made a breakthrough. By observing short-lived X-ray signals, the team could use them as a “starting gun” to measure the speed of the neutron star jets.
Surprisingly, the study found that thermonuclear explosions on the neutron star’s surface, known as type-I X-ray bursts, actually powered up the jets instead of disrupting them. This discovery has provided a new technique for measuring neutron star jet speeds, bringing us one step closer to understanding how these powerful cosmic jets are launched.
The measured speed of the neutron star jet was approximately one-third the speed of light, significantly slower than jets from black holes at similar luminosities. This finding opens the door to further investigations into how individual system properties influence jet speed, ultimately revealing the dominant jet launching mechanism.
References
- Miller-Jones, J. & The Conversation. (2024, March 30). A cosmic ‘speed camera’ just revealed the staggering speed of neutron star jets in a world first. The Conversation; The Conversation. https://phys.org/news/2024-03-cosmic-camera-revealed-staggering-neutron.html
- Russell, T. D., Degenaar, N., van den Eijnden, J., Maccarone, T., Tetarenko, A. J., Sánchez-Fernández, C., Miller-Jones, J. C. A., Kuulkers, E., & Del Santo, M. (2024). Thermonuclear explosions on neutron stars reveal the speed of their jets. Nature, 627(8005), 763–766. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07133-5
