How physicists are making sense of the mystery of pulsar glitches

Subject: S&T

Section: Space tech

Context:

In 1969, two research groups reported an abrupt and brief increase in the rotation rate of a pulsar; this glitch remains to be explained 44 years on; to date, physicists have spotted more than 3,000 pulsars and around 700 such glitches, and are starting to get a sense of why they happen.

About Pulsars:

Pulsars are rapidly rotating neutron stars emitting intense beams of radiation.
Formed from collapsed star cores, their periodic signals, resembling lighthouse beams, result from charged particles’ acceleration along magnetic fields.
Pulsars offer unique insights into stellar remnants and extreme physical conditions.
Discovery (1967): Found during radio wave study at the University of Cambridge, pulsars are rotating neutron stars emitting periodic radio signals.
Origins: Linked to the 1932 discovery of the neutron, pulsars result from the collapse of heavy star cores into super-dense neutron stars.

Pulsar Glitches

Definition: Pulsar glitches are unexpected jumps in a pulsar’s rotation, thought caused by its superfluid core briefly coupling with the crust, releasing a hidden burst of energy. These fleeting “hiccups” help us peek inside these dense stars.
Rotation Mechanism: Pulsar rotation slows over time, releasing energy that accelerates charges, producing radio signals.
Post-Glitch Relaxation: Slow relaxation post-glitch indicates a superfluid state inside neutron stars, where vortices sticking to nuclei cause glitches.