Astronomy:PSR J2144−3933

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Short description: Star in the constellation Grus
PSR J2144−3933
Observation data
Equinox J2000.0]] (ICRS)
Constellation Grus
Right ascension  21h 44m 12.10s
Declination −39° 33′ 55.2″
Characteristics
Spectral type Pulsar
Variable type None
Astrometry
Distanceapprox. 587 ly
(approx. 180 pc)
Details
Rotation8.51 s
Other designations
EUVE J2144-39.6
Database references
SIMBADdata

PSR J2144−3933 is a pulsar about 180 parsecs (587 light-years) from Earth. It is the coldest known neutron star with a surface temperature less than 42000 Kelvin as measured by the Hubble Space Telescope.[1] It was previously thought to have a period of 2.84 seconds but is now known to have a period of 8.51 seconds, which is among the longest-known radio pulsar.

J2144−3933 is also notable for other reasons: its mean pulse profile is very narrow in comparison to the pulse period with a half-intensity width of less than one degree of longitude. It also has the lowest spindown luminosity of any pulsar at about 3×1021 watts.

Writing in Nature, astrophysicists M. D. Young and coworkers consider this object and suggest that its existence throws current theories into doubt. They state:

Moreover, under the usual model assumptions, based on the neutron-star equations of state, this slowly rotating pulsar should not be emitting a radio beam. Therefore either the model assumptions are wrong, or current theories of radio emission must be revised[2]

The fact that J2144−3933 is the coldest observed neutron star has been exploited to constrain the properties of dark matter.[3][4][5]

References

  1. Guillot, S.; Pavlov, G.G.; Reyes, C.; Reisenegger, A.; Rodriguez, L.E.; Rangelov, B.; Kargaltsev, O. (5 April 2019). "Hubble Space Telescope Nondetection of PSR J2144–3933: The Coldest Known Neutron Star". The Astrophysical Journal 874 (2): 175. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/ab0f38. Bibcode2019ApJ...874..175G. 
  2. Young, M. D.; Manchester, R. N.; Johnston, S. (26 August 1999). "A radio pulsar with an 8.5-second period that challenges emission models". Nature 400 (6747): 848–849. doi:10.1038/23650. Bibcode1999Natur.400..848Y. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013. https://archive.today/20130629090115/http://hera.ph1.uni-koeln.de/~heintzma/NS1/sub/J2144-3933.htm. 
  3. McKeen, D.; Pospelov, M.; Raj, N. (Jun 3, 2021). "Cosmological and astrophysical probes of dark baryons". Physical Review D 103 (11): 115002. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.103.115002. Bibcode2021PhRvD.103k5002M. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.103.115002. 
  4. McKeen, D.; Pospelov, M.; Raj, N. (Aug 6, 2021). "Neutron Star Internal Heating Constraints on Mirror Matter". Physical Review Letters 127 (6): 061805. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.061805. PMID 34420351. Bibcode2021PhRvL.127f1805M. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.127.061805. 
  5. Bramante, J.; Kavanaugh, B.; Raj, N. (2022). "Scattering Searches for Dark Matter in Subhalos: Neutron Stars, Cosmic Rays, and Old Rocks". Physical Review Letters 128 (23): 231801. doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.128.231801. PMID 35749183. Bibcode2022PhRvL.128w1801B. 

External links