Ahmet Erdemir | Polygence
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Polygence Scholar2024
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Ahmet Erdemir

Class of 2026Danville, California

Project Portfolio

Probing the Relationship between High-Mass Star Rotational Velocities and Neutron Star Periods

Started Feb. 29, 2024

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Abstract or project description

Neutron stars, formed from the collapse of high-mass stars, exhibit different rotational periods influenced by the initial properties of their progenitor stars. Understanding the connection between these properties, especially the mass of the progenitor star and the resulting neutron star periods provides valuable insight into stellar evolution. This paper examines the relationship between the ZAMS mass of high-mass stars, and the spin periods of neutron stars formed post-supernova. Using data from stellar catalogs and simulations by Coleman & Burrows (2022), we analyze the properties of high-mass stars that cause changes in neutron star kick speeds and pair them with corresponding neutron stars. The results show a clear negative correlation between progenitor star mass and neutron star spin period, suggesting that higher-mass stars produce faster-spinning neutron stars. These findings imply that predicting neutron star characteristics may become more accurate by analyzing the masses of high-mass stars when they enter the main sequence, enhancing our understanding of both supernovae and neutron star formation.