Pulsar G359- Galactic ‘Bone’:
Astronomers have identified the likely cause of a fracture in a long, bone-like structure in the Milky Way Galaxy, known as G359.13142-0.20005 (G359.13 or “The Snake”), using data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and MeerKAT radio array.
- These galactic “bones” are elongated structures seen primarily in radio waves and aligned with magnetic field lines. Their appearance is due to charged particles spiraling along these magnetic fields, emitting synchrotron radiation.
- A fracture has been detected in the otherwise continuous structure of G359.13. This disruption aligns with the location of a pulsar, identified via both X-ray (Chandra) and radio data (MeerKAT and VLA).
- The pulsar is a fast-moving, highly magnetized neutron star, created by the collapse of a massive star during a supernova explosion.
- It travels at speeds estimated between 1 to 2 million miles per hour.
- The pulsar appears to have collided with G359.13, causing a distortion in its magnetic field, which in turn warped the radio signal and physically fractured the filament.
- The Chandra X-ray data revealed blue-colored emission from the suspected pulsar. Additional X-ray sources near the pulsar may originate from electrons and positrons (antimatter particles) that have been accelerated to extremely high energies.
- This event provides critical insights into high-energy astrophysical processes, especially the interaction of pulsars with galactic magnetic structures.
