"Chinese Eye" Reveals a New Evolution Path of Pulsars in Spherical Cluster
2024-05-03
Chinese scientists have developed a search scheme based on the fast folding algorithm and systematically analyzed the FAST public observation data of the "Chinese Eye". They have discovered two long-period pulsars in the globular cluster M15, revealing a new path for the evolution of pulsars in the globular cluster. This paper was recently published in Chinese Science: Physics, Mechanics, and Astronomy. It is reported that globular clusters are high-density star clusters bound by self gravity, with an evolutionary age generally exceeding billions of years. They are one of the oldest celestial systems in the universe. The stars in globular clusters have undergone billions of years of evolution and contain a large number of pulsars. By understanding their properties, information on the dynamic evolution process of globular clusters and the synthesis path of star families can be obtained. Currently, out of the 317 pulsars discovered in 41 globular clusters within the Milky Way, most are millisecond pulsars with rotation periods within the range of tens of milliseconds, of which 179 are in binary systems. Dr. Zhou Dengke from the Astronomical Calculation Research Center of Zhijiang Laboratory and Associate Researcher Wang Pei from the National Astronomical Observatory discovered two long-period pulsars in the globular cluster M15, namely M15K with an rotation period of about 1.9 seconds and M15L with an rotation period of about 3.9 seconds. Among them, M15L is currently the known pulsar with the longest rotation period in the globular cluster. Based on observational data, the research team further suggests that M15K and M15L may have been in a binary system in the early stages and experienced a brief accretion process before meeting with other celestial bodies and destroying the binary system, resulting in the pulsar gradually evolving into a long-period pulsar after losing its companion. "This discovery reveals a new evolutionary path for pulsars in globular clusters. FAST is systematically changing our understanding of pulsars in globular clusters," said Li Di, the corresponding author of the paper and chief scientist of FAST, the "China Eye". Zhou Dengke, the first author of the paper, stated that the amount of data in the field of radio astronomy is huge and processing is very time-consuming. This study utilizes intelligent computing technology to significantly improve the search and identification speed of pulsars, allowing researchers to devote more energy to understanding the physical images behind the data, greatly improving research efficiency. Han Zhanwen, an academician of the CAS Member and a researcher at the Yunnan Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that more similar discoveries can be expected from this achievement, and we are finally expected to fill the gap in pulsar clusters in globular clusters, which is crucial to understanding the formation process and interaction of pulsars in globular clusters. (Lai Xin She)
Edit:hechuanning Responsible editor:susuiyue
Source:guangming daily
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