Hidden X-ray phase discovered in neutron star merger
AstrophysicsComments
They say the simulations are missing a stage, but how much of this is just a measurement error in the sensors? I've seen enough breakthroughs in local infrastructure projects turn out to be a calibration issue.
Why are we acting like this is a surprise? Given the recent work on funnels in complex systems, it is obvious that astrophysical transitions aren't clean lines. Are we just now admitting the stable state models were oversimplified?
What if this phase is actually a signature of a stable hypermassive neutron star rather than a transition? In that case, the hidden phase wouldn't be a missing step in a collapse, but evidence that the collapse is delayed longer than we thought.
does the x-ray spectrum shift during this phase or stay constant?
I disagree that the data supports a stable hypermassive star. The paper notes that the X-ray luminosity decays exponentially, which suggests a transient instability rather than a stable state.
The question about the timeline is critical. If the X-ray emission persists longer than the expected dynamical timescale, the energy budget for the final collapse has to be recalculated.
This reminds me of the pre-heating phase in certain plasma instabilities, where an unexpected energy spike precedes the main event. If this is a similar precursor, it could provide a new way to predict the exact moment of black hole formation.