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A debris disk around an isolated young neutron star
Zhongxiang Wang1, Deepto Chakrabarty, David L Kaplan
1Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.
Nature
|April 7, 2006
Summary
Astronomers discovered a cool disk around a young X-ray pulsar, providing evidence for supernova fallback disks. This finding suggests a potential for planet formation around neutron stars.
Area of Science:
- Astronomy
- Astrophysics
- Stellar Evolution
Background:
- Pulsars are rotating neutron stars formed from supernova explosions.
- Supernova models predict fallback disks, but observational evidence is scarce.
- Fallback disks may influence pulsar evolution and black hole formation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To search for observational evidence of fallback disks around pulsars.
- To investigate the properties and origin of a newly discovered disk around an X-ray pulsar.
Main Methods:
- Observed mid-infrared emission from an isolated young X-ray pulsar.
- Analyzed the disk's properties, including mass and lifetime.
- Compared disk characteristics to theoretical predictions of supernova fallback.
Main Results:
- Discovered a cool, mid-infrared emitting disk around a young X-ray pulsar.
- The disk's mass is approximately 10 Earth masses and its lifetime exceeds 10^6 years.
- The disk is passively illuminated by the pulsar's X-rays and resembles protoplanetary disks.
Conclusions:
- The observed disk supports the theory of supernova fallback.
- The disk's properties are consistent with a fallback origin.
- The discovery suggests the possibility of planet formation around young neutron stars.
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