Work

Signatures in the local interstellar medium of electromagnetic radiation produced by neutron star gravitational waves

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The Voyager spacecraft have been detecting plasma oscillations of a few kHz for over 40 years. However, there is still no widely accepted hypothesis for the astrophysical source of the oscillations. Having entered the local interstellar medium, these detections have persisted, adding to the challenge of identifying the astrophysical source. Neutron stars were one of the earliest hypothesized candidates of the electromagnetic radiation responsible for the detected plasma oscillations, but no theoretical mechanism could be identified to explain the frequency of the oscillations. We explore the recently developed theory of co-production of electromagnetic radiation in gravitational wave backgrounds as a possible source of these low-frequency oscillations and investigate whether neutron stars could be the astrophysical source.

Source: Scientific Reports

DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-68157-7

Authors: Preston Jones, Pragati Pradhan, Douglas Singleton

Institutions: Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Prescott Arizona Campus, Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University, California State University, Fresno

Language: English

Topic: Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research

Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics

Field: Physics and Astronomy

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,690

OpenAlex ID: W7204074835