Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Manoj Kumar
Indian Space Research Organisation's (ISRO) AstroSat, the first multi-wavelength space-based observatory, has detected 67 bright pulses of energy originating from deep space.
The bursts were traced to a newly identified neutron star known as a Magnetar, shedding light on the unique astrophysical conditions surrounding these celestial bodies.
The Magnetar, a special type of neutron star, possesses ultrahigh magnetic fields exceeding Earth's by over one quadrillion times, driving the emission of high-energy electromagnetic radiation.
Researchers from the Raman Research Institute and the University of Delhi utilized AstroSat's instruments, the Large Area X-Ray Proportional Counter (LAXPC) and Soft X-Ray telescope (SXT), to conduct timing and spectral analysis.
The Magnetar under study, named SGR J1830-0645, was initially discovered by NASA's Swift spacecraft in October 2020, prompting further investigation by the Indian research team.
The study revealed 67 short sub-second X-ray bursts, with the brightest lasting approximately 90 milliseconds, providing insights into the Magnetar's emission properties.
The findings, published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, concluded that SGR J1830–0645 is a unique Magnetar displaying distinctive emission lines in its spectra.
The research team is currently exploring the origins of emission lines, considering possibilities such as iron fluorescence, proton cyclotron line features, or instrumental effects.
Notably, the energy-dependence in SGR J1830-0645 differed from other magnetars, featuring two thermal blackbody emission components originating from the neutron star's surface.
Looking ahead, the research team aims to expand their study to unravel the origin of these highly energetic emissions, determining whether they stem from astrophysical phenomena or instrumental influences. The discovery contributes significantly to our understanding of magnetars and the extreme realms of astrophysics.