Current Affairs

Issue

 The fastest spinning white dwarf has recently been confirmed by a group of researchers from University of Warwick.

Background

The discovered White dwarf is said to complete a full rotation once every 25 seconds.

Details

• The particular white dwarf is a rare example of magnetic propeller system. The white dwarf is involved in pulling gaseous plasma from companion star.

• In the last 70 years, it is only the second magnetic propeller white dwarf that has been identified, thanks to advanced powerful and sensitive instruments.

• The particular white dwarf has been named LAMOST J024048.51+195226.9 or J0240+1952. One rotation on J0240+1952 is a mere 25 seconds compared to 24 hours on Earth.

• This speed displayed by the newly discovered white dwarf is faster than the confirmed white dwarf with the most comparable spin rate.

Characteristics

• The white dwarf is said to be the size of Earth but is 200,000 times more massive. It pulls plasma materials from its companion star.

• The plasma is pulled from the companion star and is being pushed into space at around 3,000 kilometres per second. 

White dwarf

• White dwarfs are a category of stars that have utilized all the hydrogen present in them for generating energy.

• They are at the final stage of evolution for low and medium-mass stars. They are highly dense with low size.

• After exhausting all reserve energy, the white dwarf becomes a cold and inert stellar remnant, which is called a black dwarf.