DOUBLE PULSAR TESTS GENERAL RELATIVITY
My graduate research focused on detecting extremely energetic gamma rays from astronomical objects. Using an arbitrary set of units, if the light from a standard incandescent bulb has the energy of one, then the X-rays in a doctor’s office have energy around 10,000. The gamma rays I searched for had energies 100 million times larger than the doctor’s X- rays. Astronomical objects capable of producing such high-energy radiation must exhibit some of the most extreme environments in the universe.
Detected in 1988, the first discovered high-energy gamma-ray emitting object is the Crab Nebula. In the middle of this nebula resides a star with a mass about 1.5 times the mass of the sun. However, this star is only 15 to 20 miles across and spins around 30 times a second! Objects like this—known as neutron stars—often emit opposing beams of radio emission. If the radio beam(s) pass across Earth as the neutron star rotates, astronomers call them pulsars.
Beyond emitting gamma rays, the large masses and small sizes of neutron stars also generate huge gravitational fields that astronomers use to test the validity of general relativity. One particular object, with the functional but boring name of PSR J0737—3039A/B, consists of two pulsars orbiting one another every 2.45 hours. Additionally, the magnetic field surrounding one of the pulsars (the blue region in the image below) eclipses the radio emission of the other for roughly 30 seconds each orbit.
In the past, this object has provided four independent timing tests of general relativity. As described in a recent Science article (see the article in Science Daily also), an international team of astronomers and physicists took advantage of the eclipsing nature of the binary pulsar PSR J0737-3039A/B to perform a different test. If general relativity accurately describes how gravity operates, the axis around which a pulsar spins should change direction like the gyroscope below (called precession) with a specific rate.
The team was able to determine the precession rate of pulsar A using precision measurements of its pulsations as the magnetic field of pulsar B eclipsed its radio beam. The measured precession matched the value predicted by general relativity. These results provide another confirmation of general relativity in a regime where it most likely would break down—in the presence of strong gravitational fields.
RTB’s creation model assumes that general relativity gives an accurate description of the development of the universe. Consequently, this new test further strengthens the model and gives support to its central premise that the God of the Bible created the universe with humanity in mind.
Posted at Reasons.org
August 21st, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Observations of a pulsar match predictions made by general relativity. Therefore, the God of the Bible is verified and he made the universe for humans? Exactly how do the findings support the premise that an invisible man in the sky named God created the universe with humanity in mind? Where in the study is the existence of a deity observed? Where in the results is the deity’s name confirmed? Where in the study do they observe the thoughts that were in the mind of this alleged deity?
Nowhere in the article about the study are these questions addressed or answered. There is a large leap between the second to last paragraph and the last paragraph. The article would be fine if only the last paragraph were stricken. It just doesn’t follow.
Are the people at Reasons to Believe trying to fool gullible people into thinking scientists are confirming religious claims?
August 21st, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Poptart Pete,
The problem is not whether “the people at Reasons to Believe are trying to fool gullible people into thinking scientists are confirming religious claims”. The problem is that you have lost your sense of mystery.
You may be surprised to know that mainline denominations have become devoid of personal mystical spirituality (much like yourself). The church, in trying to keep up with the “postmodern world” opted for the rationalism of liberal modernistic preaching. However, this has failed to meet the basic subjective longing for inner contentment that scientific rationalism could never satisfy. We are a society suffering from the experiences of personal conversion.
August 21st, 2008 at 9:27 pm
This reason this is significant to some Christians, Poptart, is because it represents an important point of agreement between Christianity and science. Both camps believe/accept that the universe is not infinite, that it had a beginning point, and that it will one day have an ending point. If modern science still accepted the steady-state, infinite, and eternal universe model, it would directly contradict Christianity (infinite/eternal things cannot be created).
Both science and Christianity agree that the universe had an absolute beginning point, so it’s only natural for people to wonder about the possibility of a Creator and what that might mean to their lives. The real question that’s on everybody’s mind (at one point or another) is whether there is a Creator behind this remarkable universe, and perhaps more importantly, whether that Creator is interested in us.
August 22nd, 2008 at 12:21 am
Posted Correction: My last sentence should have read: “We are a society suffering from the LACK of personal conversion experiences”.
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:32 am
…”However, we should always combine the best rational arguments with the most penetrating assessment of the human moral condition. If the “issue” becomes more of a point of pride with that person rather than something they honestly need answering, then we do him no good by prolonging the argument. We must recognize that, at least when it comes to some areas of knowledge, he cannot have understanding until he opens himself up to God’s Spirit. This is Paul’s contention in the final verses (14-16) of chapter 2 in 1 Corinthians:14″ - Intellectual Repentance, David Ragstad, PhD
1 Corinthians:14 - But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15- But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16 - For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ.