1 / 6

Searching for X-ray Pulsars

Searching for X-ray Pulsars. Peter Woods (USRA/NSSTC). Searching for X-ray Pulsars. Define what an X-ray pulsar is Describe how we go about looking for them Take you through an example Let you find your own pulsar Give you a physics problem. X-ray Pulsars.

cjeanne
Download Presentation

Searching for X-ray Pulsars

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Searching for X-ray Pulsars Peter Woods (USRA/NSSTC)

  2. Searching for X-ray Pulsars • Define what an X-ray pulsar is • Describe how we go about looking for them • Take you through an example • Let you find your own pulsar • Give you a physics problem

  3. X-ray Pulsars • A neutron star whose X-ray brightness is modulated by its rotation and strong magnetic field • How does it pulse? there are several different explanations for different types of pulsars More information:Charles & Seward Exploring the X-ray Universe, 1995, Cambridge

  4. Light Curves • A light curve is a plot of the X-ray brightness versus time

  5. The Fast Fourier Transform • This is the primary tool used in searching for X-ray pulsars • It’s purpose is to break down a light curve in terms of a series of waves • M&M analogy

  6. How fast can a pulsar spin before it breaks apart? • Mass of a pulsar = 2.8 X 1030 kg • Radius of a pulsar = 10,000 m • Gravitational constant = 6.67 X 10-11 N m2 kg-2

More Related