Title: A New Signal for a Neutron Star Collision: Radiance from a Magnetar

Speaker: 薛永泉 教授，中国科学技术大学

Host: 孙谋远/武剑锋

Time: 14:30-16:30, Thursday, Dec 19, 2019

Location: Physics Building 552

Abstract: 

This talk is centered around the recent discovery of a magnetar-powered X-ray transient (dubbed XT2) as the aftermath of a binary neutron-star merger that is 6.6 billion light years away. The main contents include: (1) a brief introduction of neutron stars, pulsars and magnetars; (2) a brief introduction of binary neutron-star mergers; (3) the discovery of XT2; (4) the origin of XT2 and its significance; and (5) a summary and future prospects.

Bio:

Yongquan Xue is a professor in the Dept. of Astronomy, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC). He received his bachelor and master degrees from Peking University in July 2000 and July 2003, respectively, and his doctoral degree from Purdue University in May 2008. He then worked as a postdoctoral scholar at the Pennsylvania State University. In May 2012 he joined USTC Astronomy as a professor. His main research interests are X-ray high-energy astrophysics. In particular, he utilizes multiwavelength (especially X-ray) deep surveys to study AGN demography, physics, feedback, and evolution, co-evolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes, as well as many other interesting high-energy astrophysical phenomena. ( URL: http://staff.ustc.edu.cn/~xuey/ )