This is why the Crab Nebula’s pulsars make a zebra pattern

Researchers have revealed a groundbreaking explanation for the mysterious zebra-like radiation pattern observed from the Crab Pulsar, a neutron star located 6,000 light-years away at the center of the Crab Nebula. The pulsar, which emerged from a supernova recorded in 1054, has intrigued scientists with its unique high-frequency emission, which stands out from other pulsars observed so far.

Understanding the zebra-like radiation

In one study published in Physical Review Letters on November 15, the pulsar’s peculiar emission was described as resembling a zebra pattern in the electromagnetic spectrum. It was explained by Mikhail Medvedev, a physicist at the University of Kansas.

In one statement released by the university, he attributed the phenomenon to the diffraction of electromagnetic waves caused by plasma in the pulsar’s magnetosphere. Medvedev explained that this emission, similar to the beam from a lighthouse, creates pulses of radiation that we observe as the star rotates.

The zebra pattern was first discovered in 2007, but explanations for it have remained scarce. Medvedev’s research identified the band gap within the pulsar’s emissions as proportional to the high-frequency wavelengths between 5 and 30 gigahertz.

The plasma density surrounding the pulsar, described as superheated charged particles, was identified as the cause of the diffraction. This has enabled the use of edge measurements to map the density distribution of the plasma in the magnetosphere.

Implications for future research

Medvedev emphasized that the energetic youth of the Crab Pulsar – approximately 1,000 years old – offers a unique opportunity for study. The developed methodology could advance the understanding of young neutron stars and even test principles such as Einstein’s general theory of relativity in known binary pulsars.

The discovery marks an important step forward in pulsar research, providing tools to decode the complicated behavior of some of the most energetic objects in the universe.