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Pulsar 3D is an interactive 3D simulation of a Pulsar, a highly magnetized neutron star in rapid rotation that emits regular beams (pulses) of electromagnetic radiation. This simulation offers a unique visual and educational experience to explore the characteristics and dynamics of these fascinating astronomical objects.
- Modern web browser with WebGL support (recommended: Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
- PC, keyboard, mouse
- Smartphone
- Tablet
Accessing the simulation:
- Access the simulation's webpage at https://cometsinthesky.github.io/pulsar-3D/.
- Use the left mouse button to click and drag in the scene to control the camera
- Use the mouse scroll wheel to zoom in or out on the pulsar
- Use the right mouse button to move the pulsar in the scene
- Pause/play button: pauses and resumes the simulation
- Restart button: restarts the simulation
- Key F: enters and exits full-screen mode
- Double-click in full-screen mode: centers the camera on the pulsar
- Space bar: Pauses and resumes the simulation
- Keys - and +: Rotation speed
- Key P: Radiation jets
- Key R: Rotation axis
- Key M: Magnetic field
- Key G: Grid
The Pulsar 3D simulation uses the Three.js library for camera control, creation of 3D objects, and functions such as the SkyBox for background control and 3D immersion.
The actual starry background from NASA, found at Deep Star Maps, provides an authentic and immersive environment for the simulation. This set of star maps was created by plotting the position, brightness, and color of 1.7 billion stars from the Hipparcos-2, Tycho-2, and Gaia Data Release 2 star catalogs.
Additionally, the simulation includes descriptive images about the behavior of pulsars, providing a valuable educational resource for classroom use. The simulation provides visualization and interaction of pulsar rotation, magnetic fields, and radiation emissions. Users can observe how these elements interact and affect the environment around the pulsar, providing a deeper understanding of these fascinating astronomical phenomena.
Now you're ready to explore the simulation and learn more about Pulsars.
The detailed detection of pulsars by Jocelyn Bell was one of the most significant milestones in astrophysics and the history of astronomy. Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a graduate student at the University of Cambridge, played a key role in the discovery of pulsars in 1967, along with her supervisor (FERREIRA, ANDRADE, LANGHI, 2024, in press).
The initial detection of pulsars occurred using a radio telescope in Cambridge, England. Bell was tasked with analyzing the data collected by the radio telescope. What made Jocelyn's detection of pulsars so remarkable was the precision and dedication she demonstrated in analyzing the data. She noticed a regular and intermittent radio signal that could not be attributed to any known source of interference. Carefully, she eliminated all possible causes, such as terrestrial interference or natural sources, and concluded that the signal had an astronomical origin (FERREIRA, ANDRADE, LANGHI, 2024, in press).
The pulsars she detected were highly magnetized neutron stars that spun rapidly and emitted electromagnetic radiation in a narrow beam, emanating from the magnetic poles of these collapsed stars. As the neutron star rotated, the radiation beam traveled towards Earth at regular intervals, resulting in the radio pulses observed by Jocelyn Bell. As an example, one can imagine a maritime lighthouse along the coast that emits light in continuous and regular pulses, where its main function is to provide guidance and safe signaling for maritime navigation. In the case of pulsars, their continuous pulses carry valuable information for astrophysicists and astronomers (FERREIRA, ANDRADE, LANGHI, 2024, in press).
The name given by Jocelyn to the first pulsar, CP 1919, came from Cambridge Pulsar over the - sky region - right ascension 𝛼 = 19h 19m (CONDON; RANSOM, 2018, cited in FERREIRA, ANDRADE, LANGHI, 2024, in press).
In July 1967, a new low-frequency radio telescope was inaugurated at the Lord's Bridge station of the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory (MRAO) of the University of Cambridge, England. Covering an area of two hectares, it was the largest operational telescope at that time for long wavelengths (4 meters). The wires of this antenna were connected to a central laboratory, so the telescope had "beams" pointing south and at a fixed declination (height) in the sky. As the Earth rotated, a circle of sky with this declination passed through each beam every day. Initially, there were three beams covering three declinations, which could be altered by changing the wiring of the system. To detect the rapid flicker ("twinkling") of a source during these four minutes as it passed through the beam, the system was designed with short integration time recorders, something unusual at the time for radio telescopes (PENNY, 2013, cited in FERREIRA, ANDRADE, LANGHI, 2024, in press).
At the beginning of the project, while analyzing the recordings made on strips of paper, Jocelyn Bell noticed a source that exhibited an unusual flicker pattern. After a few weeks, she realized that this source, which did not resemble other known astronomical sources or terrestrial sources of radio interference, sometimes reappeared when the telescope was pointed in a specific direction in the sky. After careful investigation, Bell discovered that this source was observed at the same sidereal time every day, indicating it was a fixed astronomical source. She discussed this with her supervisor and they decided to examine the flicker pattern more closely. In early November 1967, a faster chart recorder was installed. After a month without sightings, on November 28 of that year, the source reappeared and was revealed as a series of short pulses (less than 0.3 seconds) separated by about 1.3 seconds (PENNY, 2013, cited in FERREIRA, ANDRADE, LANGHI, 2024, in press). As shown by the graph lines in the top part of the image below, this is the actual signal captured from the CP1919 pulsar.
Pulsars are highly compact neutron stars that emit electromagnetic radiation in regular bursts, like pulses, as they rapidly rotate about their axis. In general, Pulsars are compact stars with diameters of tens of kilometers, but with an average mass of 1.4 M☉ (solar mass), which generates specific conditions of high rotation, high-energy emissions, strong magnetic fields, and intense gravitational field. Additionally, neutron stars represent one of the possible final stages of the life of a massive star, along with a supernova explosion or a black hole (PIRES; PEDUZZI, 2021, cited in FERREIRA, ANDRADE, LANGHI, 2024, in press)
Mourão (1987) defines in his Encyclopedic Dictionary of Astronomy and Astronautics, that a pulsar is a:
Stellar radio source emitting pulses of average duration of 35 milliseconds and which repeat at extremely regular intervals of the order of 1.4 seconds, approximately. Such emission must be produced by a very small and dense neutron star that, while spinning, emits a beam of radio waves similar to the flashes emitted by a lighthouse … The name pulsar comes from the contraction of the English expression: Pulsa(ting) r(adio sources), which is equivalent to pulsating radio source (MOURÃO, 1987, p. 654, cited in FERREIRA, ANDRADE, LANGHI, 2024, in press).
With the advancement of detections in radio astronomy, the improvement of detection precision, and the processing of data from distant pulsars, it was possible to identify the slowest pulsar ever detected by astronomers to date. In 2018, a pulsar approximately 14 million years old was discovered by a doctoral student at the University of Manchester. The team made the observations through the Low-Frequency Array (LOFAR), whose core is located in the Netherlands, to detect the PSR J0250+5854 pulsar. Until previous years, the slowest rotating pulsar detected had a rotation period of 8.5 seconds. This new pulsar, located in the direction of the Cassiopeia constellation, about 5,200 light-years away from Earth, rotates at a slower speed, in a range of 23.5 seconds (TAN et al, 2018, cited in FERREIRA, ANDRADE, LANGHI, 2024, in press).
The images and texts in this project are part of the article (in press) "FROM LEDS TO PULSARS: A LOW-COST INTERACTIVE EXPERIMENT FOR TEACHING ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS AT SCHOOL" (FERREIRA, ANDRADE, LANGHI, 2024).
Suggestions and feedback are welcome: lucasferreiraunb@gmail.com
Contributions are also welcome! Feel free to open an Issue or send a Pull Request.