IIT Guwahati and ISRO's breakthrough discovery shakes up space theories on Galactic X-ray pulsars

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In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers from IIT Guwahati and ISRO have found that X-rays emitted by the first known Galactic Ultraluminous X-ray Pulsar, Swift J0243.6+6124, show unexpectedly low polarization. This discovery is shaking up current theories about the behavior of neutron stars in binary systems. The team's study, conducted using data from NASA's IXPE, NICER, and NuSTAR missions, reveals that the polarization of the pulsar's X-rays is just 3%, far lower than expected.

This result challenges long-held beliefs about how X-rays interact with strong magnetic fields around neutron stars. According to Dr. Anuj Nandi of ISRO, the discovery marks a significant step in understanding the nature of these extreme cosmic objects, potentially leading to a revision of existing models of radiation behavior. Prof. Santabrata Das of IIT Guwahati highlights the importance of this finding, suggesting it could reshape our understanding of neutron stars' magnetic fields and the processes that power their intense X-ray emissions.

This unexpected result opens up new avenues for research into X-ray pulsars, pushing scientists to rethink the physics behind these celestial phenomena and inspiring future studies on similar sources in our galaxy and beyond.