PULSARS
What are Pulsars?
A pulsar is basically a Neutron Star which is thought to be a rapidly rotating magnetised white dwarf. The difference between a regular neutron star and a pulsar is that they are highly magnetised and rotate at enormous speeds. They are observed to emit pulses at regular intervals ranging from milliseconds to seconds which helps astronomers to detect them by using their radio and X-ray pulses emitted at regular intervals. Pulsars strong magnetic field emits funnel jets of particles out along the two magnetic poles and these accelerated particles produce very strong beam of light.
How pulsars are formed?
The formation of pulsar is basically same as the formation of the neutron star. So to understand the formation of a pulsar you need to understand the formation of a neutron star first.
Basically when a star reaches the end of his life, it goes out with the most violent explosion in the universe known as the supernova. This explosion causes the remnants of the star core to collapse in itself, and the intense gravitational force shrinks the core into a compact space, roughly 10-20 kilometres in diameter. The gravity becomes so strong that it compresses it atoms merging electrons and protons and creating a sea of neutrons, and hence the name "Neutron Stars".
Pulsar formation:
So to understand the formation of a pulsar from a neutron star we need to understand about conservation of angular momentum first. Angular momentum basically depends upon radius and angular velocity of the body. So if two bodies have same angular momentum the product of radius and the angular velocity must also be same, their individual radius and angular velocity may or may not be same but since they have same same angular momentum and therefore for the conservation of angular momentum their product must be same.
So when a neutron star is formed the angular momentum remains conserved of the pre-existing star but the radius of the neutron star has been greatly reduced and therefore for the conservation of angular momentum, the neutron star generally acquires a very high rotating speed. And therefore conservation of angular momentum plays a key role in the formation of pulsars and provides them a high rotational speed. And these high rotational speed applies to the highly electrically charged core of the pulsars which results in a variable magnetic field. And these variable magnetic field in turn produces electric field which accelerates electrons and protons on the surface non uniformly which in turn produces EM waves which is released towards the magnetic poles which we see as pulses at regular intervals.
Nearest pulsar to earth:
PSR J0108-1431 is the nearest pulsar located 770 light years from earth which is 200 million years old and is the nearest pulsar ever known.
The Comprendia was founded in 2019 owned and managed by Neelabh Jaiswal is an Indian technology news and science website which covers the intersection of science, astronomy, technology and engineering. It's mission is to provide in-depth relevant information and knowledge.
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