Daily Image
01-11-2012
Radio pulses from Andromeda?
| Submitter: | Eduardo Rubio-Herrera, B.W. Stappers, J.W.T. Hessels & R. Braun |
| Description: | We have used the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) to perform the most sensitive and comprehensive survey yet undertaken for pulsars and fast radio transients in the Andromeda Galaxy (Rubio-Herrera et al.). The survey was made at a central frequency of 328 MHz using the WSRT in a special observing mode which allowed us to cover a large area of the sky (an area equivalent to 6 full moons) at millisecond time resolution. We have detected several single pulse events which potentially originate from neutron stars in M31, though remain unconfirmed. One in particular, shown in these images, was seen at multiple times including a burst of six pulses in about 2000 seconds. The dispersion measure of this source (~54 pc cm-3), is consistent with it being beyond the edge of our Galaxy and potentially on the near-side of Andromeda. This survey has also allowed us to place constraints on the luminosity function of pulsars in M31. |
| Copyright: | Rubio-Herrera/Hessels |
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