Ultradense cosmic material believed to be contained within spinning pulsar stars, a phenomenon not encountered elsewhere in the universe.

In a groundbreaking study, a team of astronomers led by Alessio Marino of the Institute of Space Sciences (ICE) in Barcelona, Spain, has uncovered intriguing findings about the cooler temperatures of certain neutron stars. Their research, published in the prestigious journal Nature Astronomy, can be found at www.nature.com/articles/s41550-024-02291-y.

The study focused on three specific neutron stars: PSR J0205+6449, located within the supernova remnant 3C 58, PSR B2335 in SNR G114.3+0.3, and CXOU J0852 in SNR Vela Jr. Remarkably, these neutron stars were found to be cooler than the rest, even at similar ages.

The cooler temperatures of these neutron stars may be due to them being more massive, triggering certain processes that cause them to cool more rapidly. Alternatively, a sort of radioactive decay could be occurring near the centres of these rapidly-cooling neutron stars.

To examine these pulsars, the scientists used the Chandra X-ray Observatory and ESA's XMM-Newton telescope. The findings of this study may have implications for other fields of astrophysics, particularly in interpreting gravitational wave bursts.

Understanding the structure and properties of neutron stars is crucial, as they consist of ultra-dense matter, a state of matter that does not exist elsewhere in the universe. This applies to neutron stars, which are a type of pulsar.

The equation of state, referring to certain properties of neutron stars such as pressure and temperature in different parts of their interiors, was a key focus of the study. However, the data suggest that something exotic could be present inside these cool neutron stars, but the study does not provide certainty about what this might be.

Clara Dehman, also of ICE, suggests that the cooler temperatures could be a clue to understanding something unusual happening inside these objects. Nanda Rea of ICE states that the latest data suggest that something exotic may be needed to explain the properties of these cool neutron stars.

Some of the neutron stars studied, including 3C 58, are located in supernova remnants and have age estimates due to the ages of the remnants. The cooler temperatures of these neutron stars may provide new insights into the processes that occur during and after a supernova explosion.

The findings of this study open up a new avenue of research into the mysterious world of neutron stars, with the potential to shed light on the fundamental properties of these fascinating objects. Further study is needed to confirm the presence of the exotic matter suggested by the data and to understand its implications for the wider field of astrophysics.

Ultradense cosmic material believed to be contained within spinning pulsar stars, a phenomenon not encountered elsewhere in the universe.