A Neutron Star Is Born
A neutron star was first detected as a pulsar in 1967. It is one of the most mysterious compact objects in the universe, with a radius of the order of 10 km and masses that can reach two solar masses. In fact, neutron stars are star remnants, a kind of stellar zombie (they die, but do not disappear)...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-07-01
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| Series: | Universe |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/7/8/267 |
| _version_ | 1797521908479033344 |
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| author | Débora Peres Menezes |
| author_facet | Débora Peres Menezes |
| author_sort | Débora Peres Menezes |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | A neutron star was first detected as a pulsar in 1967. It is one of the most mysterious compact objects in the universe, with a radius of the order of 10 km and masses that can reach two solar masses. In fact, neutron stars are star remnants, a kind of stellar zombie (they die, but do not disappear). In the last decades, astronomical observations yielded various contraints for neutron star masses, and finally, in 2017, a gravitational wave was detected (GW170817). Its source was identified as the merger of two neutron stars coming from NGC 4993, a galaxy 140 million light years away from us. The very same event was detected in <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>γ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>-ray, X-ray, UV, IR, radio frequency and even in the optical region of the electromagnetic spectrum, starting the new era of multi-messenger astronomy. To understand and describe neutron stars, an appropriate equation of state that satisfies bulk nuclear matter properties is necessary. GW170817 detection contributed with extra constraints to determine it. On the other hand, magnetars are the same sort of compact object, but bearing much stronger magnetic fields that can reach up to 10<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow></mrow><mn>15</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> G on the surface as compared with the usual 10<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow></mrow><mn>12</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> G present in ordinary pulsars. While the description of ordinary pulsars is not completely established, describing magnetars poses extra challenges. In this paper, I give an overview on the history of neutron stars and on the development of nuclear models and show how the description of the tiny world of the nuclear physics can help the understanding of the cosmos, especially of the neutron stars. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:19:12Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-0d49f71860214eedaa2204735c18a278 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2218-1997 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T08:19:12Z |
| publishDate | 2021-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Universe |
| spelling | doaj.art-0d49f71860214eedaa2204735c18a2782023-11-22T10:05:24ZengMDPI AGUniverse2218-19972021-07-017826710.3390/universe7080267A Neutron Star Is BornDébora Peres Menezes0Departamento de Física, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis 88040-900, BrazilA neutron star was first detected as a pulsar in 1967. It is one of the most mysterious compact objects in the universe, with a radius of the order of 10 km and masses that can reach two solar masses. In fact, neutron stars are star remnants, a kind of stellar zombie (they die, but do not disappear). In the last decades, astronomical observations yielded various contraints for neutron star masses, and finally, in 2017, a gravitational wave was detected (GW170817). Its source was identified as the merger of two neutron stars coming from NGC 4993, a galaxy 140 million light years away from us. The very same event was detected in <inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><mi>γ</mi></semantics></math></inline-formula>-ray, X-ray, UV, IR, radio frequency and even in the optical region of the electromagnetic spectrum, starting the new era of multi-messenger astronomy. To understand and describe neutron stars, an appropriate equation of state that satisfies bulk nuclear matter properties is necessary. GW170817 detection contributed with extra constraints to determine it. On the other hand, magnetars are the same sort of compact object, but bearing much stronger magnetic fields that can reach up to 10<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow></mrow><mn>15</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> G on the surface as compared with the usual 10<inline-formula><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"><semantics><msup><mrow></mrow><mn>12</mn></msup></semantics></math></inline-formula> G present in ordinary pulsars. While the description of ordinary pulsars is not completely established, describing magnetars poses extra challenges. In this paper, I give an overview on the history of neutron stars and on the development of nuclear models and show how the description of the tiny world of the nuclear physics can help the understanding of the cosmos, especially of the neutron stars.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/7/8/267neutron starsequations of staterelativistic modelsgravitational waves |
| spellingShingle | Débora Peres Menezes A Neutron Star Is Born Universe neutron stars equations of state relativistic models gravitational waves |
| title | A Neutron Star Is Born |
| title_full | A Neutron Star Is Born |
| title_fullStr | A Neutron Star Is Born |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Neutron Star Is Born |
| title_short | A Neutron Star Is Born |
| title_sort | neutron star is born |
| topic | neutron stars equations of state relativistic models gravitational waves |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1997/7/8/267 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT deboraperesmenezes aneutronstarisborn AT deboraperesmenezes neutronstarisborn |