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Cosmic Mystery: New X-ray Sources Defy Explanation
13 Sep
Summary
- New class of objects discovered by NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory.
- Objects emit low-energy X-rays and intense ultraviolet radiation.
- Potential to explain long-standing questions in astrophysics.
A new class of celestial objects, identified as hypersoft X-ray sources, has been discovered by scientists utilizing NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory. These objects exhibit peculiar characteristics, emitting notably low-energy X-rays coupled with intense ultraviolet radiation. This discovery was made by analyzing data from six galaxies, including the Andromeda and Pinwheel galaxies, across areas with both young and old stars.
The research, published in Nature Astronomy, identified 84 such sources. Scientists detected them by observing objects that appeared in low-energy X-ray images but were invisible in higher-energy X-ray images. This indicates a significant imbalance in their X-ray emissions.
Researchers hypothesize these systems could involve a black hole, neutron star, or white dwarf drawing material from a companion star. As this material heats up, it produces X-rays before falling into the compact object. The existence of these hypersoft X-ray sources suggests that many binary systems capable of producing energetic ultraviolet radiation have gone unnoticed until now, potentially resolving long-standing astrophysical mysteries.
