Scientists Detect 90-Year-Old Vacuum Birefringence Signal in Magnetar 1E 1547
Updated
Updated · ScienceDaily · Aug 30
Scientists Detect 90-Year-Old Vacuum Birefringence Signal in Magnetar 1E 1547
3 articles · Updated · ScienceDaily · Aug 30
Summary
Nature-published observations of magnetar 1E 1547.0-5408 produced what researchers say is the first evidence that empty space can alter light—a quantum effect Werner Heisenberg predicted nearly 90 years ago.
A magnetic field more than 100 million times stronger than any made on Earth let the team test the effect by tracking polarized radio waves and X-rays as the magnetar rotated.
IXPE and NICER data showed extremely high X-ray polarization that stayed aligned with the magnetar's magnetic field, matching the radio measurements and the expected vacuum birefringence signature.
The magnetar's nearly aligned magnetic and rotational axes, viewed almost pole-on, made it an unusually clean target for the search.
Researchers said more observations and improved simulations are still needed to rule out other explanations, but confirmation would open a new way to probe quantum physics in extreme cosmic conditions.