Consider the following statements with reference to the Magnetar:1. It...
Scientists have now detected the most distant-known instance of eruptions, called a giant flare, from a magnetar residing in a galaxy called Messier 82.
- It is an exotic type of neutron star with defining feature that it has an ultra-powerful magnetic field.
- The field is about 1,000 times stronger than a normal neutron star and about a trillion times stronger than the Earth’s.
- Apart from ultra-powerful magnetic fields, magnetars also release vast amounts of energy in the form of flares, X-rays and gamma-ray bursts.
- They are therefore associated with extreme events in the universe, making them perhaps the most bizarre objects in the cosmos next to black holes.
- The magnetic field of a magnetar may be caused by a neutron star’s interior – thought to be made up of neutrons, quarks and exotic states of matter such as Bose-Einstein Condensates – becoming a superconducting fluid.
- Thus, when the star rotates, it would behave like a huge dynamo, generating an immense magnetic field.
What is Messier 82?
- It is a galaxy nicknamed as "cigar galaxy" because when viewed edge-on it has an elongated and cigar-like shape. It is 12 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Ursa Major.
- The M82 giant flare was the most distant known but not the most energetic.
- A giant flare originates from a reconfiguration and a reconnection of the magnetic field of the magnetar.
Hence both statements are correct.
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Consider the following statements with reference to the Magnetar:1. It...
Explanation:
Magnetars:
Magnetars are a type of neutron star with an ultra-powerful magnetic field. These magnetic fields are some of the strongest known in the universe, measuring hundreds to thousands of times stronger than those of typical neutron stars.
Characteristics of Magnetars:
- Magnetars release vast amounts of energy in the form of X-rays and gamma-ray bursts.
- This energy is believed to be generated by the decay of the magnetic field through a process known as magnetic dissipation.
- The intense magnetic fields of magnetars can cause the star's crust to crack, leading to starquakes that release even more energy.
Importance of Magnetars:
- Studying magnetars can provide valuable insights into the behavior of matter under extreme conditions and help scientists better understand the processes that govern the behavior of neutron stars and other exotic objects in the universe.
- Magnetars are also of interest because they are potential sources of gravitational waves, which can provide further information about the nature of these objects.
Therefore, both statements 1 and 2 are correct. Magnetars are indeed neutron stars with ultra-powerful magnetic fields that release vast amounts of energy in the form of X-rays and gamma-ray bursts.