Prof. Paz Beniamini

Warm congratulations to Professor Paz Beniamini, Senior Faculty Member in the Department of Natural Sciences and a member of the Astrophysics Research Center of the Open University (ARCO), on the publication of a groundbreaking article in the prestigious journal Nature.

Since the 1960s, astronomers have been measuring radio signals from pulsars—neutron stars that emit periodic radiation. These signals recur at regular intervals, typically with periods of seconds or less, reflecting the stars’ rapid rotation. In a 2020 study, Professor Beniamini and his colleagues investigated periodic signals from another astronomical phenomenon—fast radio bursts—and developed a model to explain their origins. According to this model, there exist neutron stars with exceptionally strong magnetic fields (magnetars) that rotate extremely slowly, thereby producing signals with periods far longer than those of familiar pulsars in our galaxy. About two years later, such an object was indeed discovered: a source emitting pulsar-like periodic radio radiation, but with a cycle roughly a thousand times longer. In the three years since, several additional objects with similar properties have been detected. To substantiate the hypothesis that these are indeed ultra-slow magnetars, observations beyond the radio spectrum are required.

In the new study led by Dr. Wang, with the participation of Professor Beniamini, the team reports the discovery of a new source with an 18-minute period, along with the first detection of X-ray emission from this object—in addition to its radio emission. This finding indicates that the source is extraordinarily energetic and strengthens the hypothesis that it belongs to a new class of unusual magnetars. The discovery suggests that neutron stars may be far more diverse than previously thought, opening the door to further breakthroughs that will deepen our understanding of the late evolutionary stages of massive stars and the extreme physical conditions that govern the universe.