ASTR 1102 Lecture : Lecture24
Document Summary
A group of radio astronomers led by anthony hewish are studying radio signals from distant quasars. A graduate student, jocelyn bell found a signal pulsating once every. Within a month another pulsating radio source (pulsar) was found. A new type of astronomical objects had been discovered. Original little green men (lgm) hypothesis rejected after many similar pulsars found. These do not produce pulsating radio emission. They would have to orbit just 1000km apart. Nothing (not even white dwarf) pulsates this fast. If a white dwarf had a radio hot-spot" on the surface and rotated fast enough, this would almost work. White dwarf would virtually be tearing itself apart, though . The crab nebula was the killer for this model. No white dwarf could spin this fast. The only type of star able to spin this fast is a neutron star. Smaller stars can rotate faster without breaking up.
