“Main-sequence Radio Pulse’ emitters” discovered by astronomers

An update on the latest astronomical discoveries at the NCRA - the Main-sequence Radio Pulse emitters or MRPs

“Main-sequence Radio Pulse’ emitters” discovered by astronomers

---

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

---

• The story: A team of astronomers at the Pune-based National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) has discovered eight stars which belong to a rare class called Main-sequence Radio Pulse emitters or MRPs. These MRPs were discovered using ‘Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT)’ located in Pune.
• Technically speaking: The rare class of radio stars which are hotter than the Sun have unusually strong magnetic fields and much stronger stellar winds. As a result, these stars emit bright radio pulses like a lighthouse. Also discovered was three more similar stars in the past using Giant Metre-wave Radio Telescope (GMRT). There are 15 known MRPs so far. 11 MRPs were discovered with GMRT. Eight of MRPs were discovered in 2021 alone.
• Discovery of first MRP: The first was discovered in 2000, a result of high sensitivity of GMRT (Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope).

1. The GMRT is located near Pune, at Khodad. It is an array of thirty fully steerable parabolic radio telescopes, having a diameter of 45 metre, observing at metre wavelengths. This is operated by National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), which is a part of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai.
2. It was conceived and built during 1984 to 1996. GMRT was recently upgraded with new receivers, following which it is known as Upgraded Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (uGMRT).

• National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA): It is a research institution, working in the field of radio astronomy. It is located in Pune University Campus. NCRA has an active research program in several areas of Astronomy and Astrophysics like studies of the Sun, pulsars, Interplanetary scintillations, Active galaxies, Interstellar medium etc.
• Life of a star: Stars are formed in clouds of gas and dust, known as nebulae. Nuclear reactions at the centre (or core) of stars provides enough energy to make them shine brightly for many years, in a stage known as the 'main sequence'. The exact lifetime of a star depends very much on its size. Very large, massive stars burn their fuel much faster than smaller stars and may only last a few hundred thousand years. Smaller stars, however, will last for several billion years, because they burn their fuel much more slowly. Eventually, however, the hydrogen fuel that powers the nuclear reactions within stars will begin to run out, and they will enter the final phases of their lifetime. Over time, they will expand, cool and change colour to become red giants. The path they follow beyond that depends on the mass of the star.

1. Small stars, like the Sun, will undergo a relatively peaceful and beautiful death that sees them pass through a planetary nebula phase to become a white dwarf, which eventually cools down over time and stops glowing to become a so-called "black dwarf".
2. Massive stars, on the other hand, will experience a most energetic and violent end, which will see their remains scattered about the cosmos in a enormous explosion, called a supernova. Once the dust clears, the only thing remaining will be a very dense star known as a neutron star, these can often be rapidly spinning and are known as pulsars. If the star which explodes is especially large, it can even form a black hole.

• EXAM QUESTIONS: (1) Explain the cycle that a star goes through, from birth to death. (2) Which are the leading astrophysics research institutes and facilities in India? List and explain.

Read more on - Polity | Economy | Schemes | S&T | Environment

#GMRP #NCRA #MRPs

Join UPSC Self Prep course | Online Course (PT Gurukul)  | Covid Special Course | Join PT courses

* Content sourced from free internet sources (publications, PIB site, international sites, etc.). Take your own subscriptions. Copyrights acknowledged.