Using short radio flashes to probe the remnants of neutron star mergers

Descripción del proyecto

Capturar destellos de radio de las fusiones de estrellas de neutrones

Las estrellas de neutrones son densas, pero su masa máxima aún es desconocida. Cuando dos chocan, pueden formar un agujero negro o un magnetar (una estrella de neutrones ultramagnetizada que gira rápidamente), dependiendo de su masa, giro y energía magnética. Detectar las breves señales de estos eventos puede revelar la física en condiciones extremas. El proyecto QuickBlitz, que cuenta con el apoyo del Consejo Europeo de Investigación, tiene como objetivo capturar los destellos de radio de corta duración que siguen a las colisiones de estrellas de neutrones. Los investigadores rastrearán estos raros acontecimientos y buscarán «blitzars», estallidos de magnetares en colapso. Un estudio de los transitorios de radio también ayudará a confirmar estas asociaciones, arrojando luz sobre la vida útil y los límites de las estrellas de neutrones.

Objetivo

Neutron stars are the densest objects in the Universe, but an ongoing mystery is how massive can they get? By examining what happens when two neutron stars merge, we can help unravel this mystery. Some mergers will leave behind a black hole, while others instead make an even more massive neutron star. This massive neutron star will be spinning exceptionally fast and have a huge magnetic field (known as a magnetar). How long this magnetar lives completely depends on its mass, its spin energy and its magnetism. By studying this magnetar, we can learn about the maximum mass of neutron stars and emission mechanisms in extreme environments.
By studying emission in X-rays and optical wavelengths following these mergers, we have seen observational features associated with magnetars, but these features are not conclusive. Newly formed magnetars are predicted to give bright, short duration, flashes of coherent radio emission. If the magnetar is too massive, it will collapse to a black hole with its magnetic energy being released as a burst of radio emission – these sources are called Blitzars. Excitingly, I have made a first candidate detection of a radio flash following the likely merger of two neutron stars.
The goal of QuickBlitz is to search for coherent radio emission following the merger of two neutron stars, advancing our fundamental understanding of neutron star behaviour at extreme masses and magnetic fields. Neutron star mergers power gravitational wave emission and a short burst of gamma-rays. By automatically triggering on these, QuickBlitz will obtain radio observations that will be used to study the origin and emission mechanism of coherent radio flashes. Many of these mergers are poorly localised, so it is essential to know the underlying population of radio transients to confirm associations between radio transients and neutron star mergers. Thus, QuickBlitz will also conduct a deep legacy survey for radio transients, with durations of seconds to minutes.