Astronomers discover a magnetar that releases in less than a second the same amount of energy as the Sun in 100,000 years

Posted:

4 one 2022 23:25 GMT

Observations of the phenomenon allowed to estimate that the magnitude of the flare was similar to or greater than the size of the star itself.

A team of Spanish researchers recently published a file study In the journal Nature they claimed to have recorded in detail a barely noticeable ‘eruption’ of a magnetic star 3.5 milliseconds It released the same amount of energy as the sun over 100,000 years.

Among neutron stars (objects that can contain half a million times the mass of Earth and have a diameter of only 20 kilometers) stand out a small group with the most intense magnetic fields known: magnetism.

So far, only 30 of these strange cosmic objects have been discovered, which are characterized by violent volcanic eruptions about which very little is known due to their unexpected nature and short duration.

However, astronomers from the Andalusian Institute of Astrophysics (IAA) were able to measure various oscillations (or pulsations) that occurred during the moments of maximum energy for the magnetar. These oscillations are a critical component in understanding the giant bursts of energy from so-called magnetism.

“Even in idle state, magnetic stars can be 100,000 times brighter than our sun” to explain Alberto Castro Tirado, IAA researcher and lead author of the study. “In the case of the flash we studied, GRB200415, which occurred on April 15, 2020 and lasted only about a tenth of a second, the energy released is equivalent to the energy radiated by our Sun. 100,000 years“he added.

Observations of the phenomenon, detected by the ASIM instrument aboard the International Space Station, made it possible to estimate that the magnitude of the glow was similar to or greater than the size of the neutron star itself.

It is not known for certain what causes these extreme cosmic events, but researchers believe that they may be due to instability in the magnetosphere of magnetic trains or “earthquakesIt is produced in its bark.

“This volcanic eruption has provided a critical component for understanding how magnetic stresses are produced in and around a neutron star,” Castro Tirado noted, concluding that “continuous observation of magnetic stars in nearby galaxies will help understand this phenomenon and also pave the way to learn more about fast radio waves.” , until today One of the most mysterious phenomena in astronomy“.