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PSR J0922+0638 Pulsar Keeps Glitching Every 550 Days, Scientists Are Intrigued

PSR J0922+0638 Pulsar Keeps Glitching Every 550 Days, Scientists Are Intrigued

Astronomers uncover regular glitches and mysterious spin cycles in PSR J0922+0638, hinting at unknown internal pulsar physics.

Written by Gadgets 360 Staff | Updated: 31 July 2025 22:00 IST

PSR J0922+0638 Pulsar Keeps Glitching Every 550 Days, Scientists Are Intrigued

Photo Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

PSR J0922+0638 is an ultradense pulsar formed after a supernova

Highlights

Pulsar PSR J0922+0638 rotates every 0.43063 seconds
Over a dozen glitches observed across 22 years of data
Possible causes include magnetic cycles or superfluid dynamics

PSR J0922+0638 is one of the pulsars, which are typically ultradense remains of a massive star that exploded as a supernova. These are quite compact and lie a few miles away; however, they carry more weight than several other suns. Their density infers that the internal matter is packed tightly, and the borders diverge toward the black hole. However, the collapse of these stars is prevented due to the pressure from the quantum forces. Neutrons and protons smash together at the time of extreme densities, and then they create a single gigantic atomic nucleus. However, the core of the neutron stars is still a mystery.

Unraveling the Structure and Rotation of PSR J0922+0638

As per space report, these dense stars act as giant atomic nuclei together with the neutrons and protons pulled together under the gravity. One of the behaviours of pulsars is their rotation, which is stable. For example, PSR J0922+0638 rotates after every 0.43063, and this continues for thousands of years.

Astronomers studied the data from over 22 years to further understand the stability. The data was collected from South Africa's MeerKAT array and China's Nanshan Radio Telescope array. Although the changes were minuscule, even less than a billionth, the stars show an energy shift because of the intense physical forces. The scientists found a dozen glitches that we call a little change in the rate of rotation. The glitches followed a cycle in which rotation repeats after every 550 days.

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Glitches, Magnetic Cycles, and the Mystery Within Pulsars

Furthermore, due to sudden glitches, a slow and cyclic speeding up and slowing down of the spin of the pulsar was seen during a 500-600-day period. This behaviour made the scientists question the glitches and the time variations of the pulsar, with the unawareness of the exact cause.

The theories put forward by the scientists comprise the magnetic cycle, which is similar to the movement of the superfluid in the star or the sun. Even after these theories, the internal mechanics of a pulsar are speculative. Further, long-term observations are important to know these secrets.

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Further reading: Pulsar, PSR J0922 0638, Neutron Star, Astronomy, Space Science, Glitching Pulsars, Magnetic Field, Astrophysics, Supernova Remnants