Astrophysicists Discover First Neutron Star-Mystery Object Merger

• 13 Apr 2024

On 5th April 2024, an international team of astrophysicists used gravitational waves to detect the first merger between a potential neutron star and a mysterious object in the "mass gap."

Key Points

• Understanding the "Mass Gap": The "mass gap" refers to the range between the heaviest known neutron star and the lightest known black hole. The mystery object's mass, between 2.5 to 4.5 times that of our Sun, falls within this range.
• Implications of the Discovery: One of the researchers highlights the significance of this discovery for theories of binary evolution and electromagnetic counterparts to compact-object mergers.
• GW230529 Merger: Detected by the LIGO-Virgo-Kagra collaboration in May 2023, this merger involved two objects: one likely a neutron star and the other a mystery object within the mass gap.
• Potential Identification: While the lighter object is believed to be a neutron star, the more massive one is potentially a black hole.