Scientists Capture , Radio Signals , From Long-Dormant Star.
'The Independent' reports that scientists have
been puzzled after receiving unprecedented
radio signals from a previously dormant star.
The star, named XTE J1810-197, is a magnetar. .
Magnetars are a type of neutron star and are
the most powerful magnets in the universe.
XTE J1810-197 is the nearest known magnetar
to Earth, about 8,000 light years away.
Now, scientists have received radio
pulses from the dormant star that
do not fit previous expectations.
Unlike the radio signals we’ve
seen from other magnetars,
this one is emitting enormous
amounts of rapidly changing
circular polarisation. We had never
seen anything like this before, Marcus Lower, Postdoctoral fellow
at Australia’s national science agency,
CSIRO, via 'The Independent'.
Scientists discovered that the new pulses are emitting
a type of spiraling light that is different from the
polarized light emitted by most other magnetars.
In 2003, XTE J1810-197 became
the first known magnetar to
produce a radio signal.
After being discovered, the magnetar
then went silent for over a decade. .
The team that discovered it said that
the findings could change our
understanding of intense magnetic fields.
The signals emitted from
this magnetar imply that
interactions at the surface
of the star are more complex than
previous theoretical explanations, Manisha Caleb, University of Sydney,
a co-author on the study, via 'The Independent'.
The team's findings were published
in the journal 'Nature Astronomy.'