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XMM-Newton and Suzaku help pioneer method for probing exotic matter   This image series is an artist's concept of a rare explosion on a neutron star, which is the dead core of a massive star.
The neutron star's strong gravity pulls gas from a nearby companion star. The gas forms a disk as it flows on to the neutron star, like water pouring down a drain (red area). Since a neutron star has about the mass of the Sun compressed into a sphere only about 16 km across, it is incredibly dense. This gives the star tremendous gravity, about
Eventually, pressure and heat in the gas on the surface becomes so high that the gas detonates in a tremendous nuclear explosion. The explosion distorts and illuminates the gas disk.  This image is an artist's concept of a thermonuclear burst consuming an entire neutron star. The neutron star (blue sphere) is part of a binary star system, and its neighbouring star (yellow-red sphere) supplies the fuel for the thermonuclear bursts. During solar outbursts or when the orbit brings the stars closer together, gas from the companion star flows toward the neutron star, attracted by its strong gravity. The flow of gas forms a swirling disk around the neutron star, called an accretion disk (multi-coloured swirl around the blue sphere).
Thermonuclear bursts arise as gas moving at close to the speed of light crashes onto the neutron star surface. The gas, pinned to the neutron star by gravity, spreads across the surface. As more and more gas rains down, pressure builds and temperature climbs until there is enough energy for nuclear fusion. This ignites a chain reaction that engulfs the entire neutron star within a second. Bursts last for one to two minutes and can occur several times per hour.  An assembly of 51 mirrors, carefully sized, formed and nested one inside another, makes XMM-Newton the most sensitive X-ray telescope ever built. ESA's XMM-Newton derives its name from its X-ray multi-mirror design and honours Sir Isaac Newton. This unique X-ray observatory was launched by Ariane 5 from the European spaceport in French Guiana on 10 December 1999. Release date: 27 August 2007 |