New Study on Pulsars

• 30 Jun 2023

Recently, an international team of astronomers, including researchers from India, Japan, and Europe, conducted a groundbreaking study utilizing the Pune-based upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT) and five other large telescopes.

The study focused on pulsar observations and their implications for gravitational waves, providing key findings that advance the understanding of these cosmic phenomena.

The key points are:

• Importance of uGMRT and Indian Telescope Data: The data from India's largest telescope, the Pune-based uGMRT, marked the first time that an Indian telescope's data was used for hunting gravitational waves.
• Confirmation of Gravitational Waves: The study provided compelling evidence confirming the existence of gravitational waves through the observation of pulsars.
• Gravitational waves, which are ripples in the fabric of space-time, were detected and their influence on pulsar signals was observed.
• Time Aberrations in Pulsar Signals: The researchers observed time aberrations in the signals emitted by pulsars. These time aberrations were caused by the gravitational waves affecting the arrival times of the pulsar signals.
• The precise timing of these signals allowed for the detection of these minute changes.
• Presence of Nano-Hertz Signals: The study detected nano-hertz signals, referred to as the "humming" of the Universe, caused by the interaction between gravitational waves and the irregularities in pulsar signals.
• These signals arrived either slightly early or with a slight delay, on the order of less than a millionth of a second.
• Opening a New Window in Gravitational Wave Astronomy: The findings represent a significant milestone in gravitational wave astronomy, as they provide a new perspective and understanding of these phenomena.
• This research opens up exciting avenues for further exploration and study of the astrophysical aspects related to gravitational waves.