Neutron star collisions hide a secret phase, Einstein Probe discovers

AI Insight

The Einstein Probe spacecraft detected approximately 10 minutes of soft X-ray emissions following a short gamma-ray burst, revealing a previously unobserved phase of neutron star collisions. This extended emission may be generated by a newly formed magnetar created during the merger. The discovery suggests that earlier space missions may have missed this intermediate phase due to limitations in detection capabilities or observation timing.

Why it matters

This finding could provide astronomers with a new observable signature to identify neutron star mergers, complementing gravitational-wave detections from facilities like LIGO. Understanding this emission phase may improve our ability to locate and study these rare cosmic events, which are sources of heavy elements and laboratories for extreme physics.