Researchers Discover 'Ultracool' Star Emitting Radio Waves

Researchers from the Sydney Institute for Astronomy recently discovered the coolest radio-emitting star. This brown dwarf star, known as WISE J0623, is around the size of Jupiter and has astonished astronomers with its unusual features. The Astrophysical Journal Letters reported this study's results.

Due to their size and properties, brown dwarfs sometimes referred to as objects between planets and stars, pose a categorization issue. They are too big to be categorized as gas giants, yet they can't support nuclear fusion. Therefore, they cannot develop into actual stars.

The temperature of WISE J0623, not its size, actually sets it apart. Nuclear fusion, a process that produces new elements while releasing heat and blinding light, causes the star's heat, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Hotter stars often emit more heat-linked light, making them simpler to find. On the contrary, Brown dwarfs like WISE J0623 are challenging to locate because they are faint. According to the study, the discovered dwarf star has a temperature five times as a hot cup of coffee (around 85 degrees per National Institutes of Health).

The research team used information from the Western Australian CSIRO ASKAP telescope to study this particular star. The Australia Telescope Compact Array in Narrabri, New South Wales, and MeerKAT in South Africa were utilized for further observations.

How Does It Emit Radio Waves?

The research provided insight into the interior dynamics of brown dwarfs, which sporadically emit radio waves.

Although the process by which more prominent stars produce magnetic fields and radio emissions is well understood, it is still unknown why less than 10% of brown dwarf stars show these phenomena.

It is thought that ultracool dwarfs' quick spin contributes to creating their strong magnetic fields. Electrical current flows occur when the magnetic field spins faster than the dwarf's ionized atmosphere.

The radio waves in the instance of WISE J0623 are thought to result from electrons entering the star's magnetic pole zone-the brown dwarf star's spin results in recurring radio bursts as a result of this mechanism.

Significance of The Discovery

Study co-author Professor Tara Murphy enthusiastically said about the study that they began operations with ASKAP and they are detecting several intriguing and unique celestial objects, per Cosmos.

She added that, as the window on the radio sky opens, astronomers will have a better understanding of stars and the potential habitability of planetary systems they contain.

Kovi Rose, the lead author, noted the rarity of radio emissions from ultracool brown dwarf stars since these stars' dynamics typically do not produce observable magnetic fields.

The T8 Dwarf WISE J062309.94045624.6, commonly known as WISE J0623, is around 37 light years away from Earth. In 2011, Caltech scientists first discovered it. The dwarf star's radius is 0.65 to 0.95 times Jupiter's, and its mass is unknown. It may be four to 44 times more massive than Jupiter per estimates. The mass of the Sun is 1,000 times more than Jupiter's, according to KULR-8.

It is seen as a noteworthy finding that WISE J0623 produces radio waves at such a low temperature. The study of ultracool brown dwarfs, such as WISE J0623, will improve knowledge of star development and the creation of magnetic fields.