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Rare Phenomenon Intrigues Scientists and May Help Understand Better the Mechanisms Behind Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs)
A mysterious signal coming from a distant galaxy is intriguing scientists. For the first time, a fast radio burst (FRB) has been observed with a fixed and predictable pattern: it pulses every 16 days. The discovery could be an important clue to understanding the origin of this cosmic phenomenon that still lacks explanation.
Unusual Discovery in Deep Space
FRBs were first detected in 2007. Since then, these short and intense pulses of radio waves have challenged astronomers’ understanding.
Some bursts happen only once, while others, called repeatedlybursts, emit signals again after some time. But until now, none of them had shown a clear repetitive cycle.
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Between September 2018 and October 2019, researchers from the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment Fast Radio Burst Project (CHIME/FRB) monitored a specific signal.
Named FRB 180916.J0158+65, this source displayed behavior never recorded before: the pulses occur for four days, disappear for 12, and return, totaling a cycle of 16.35 days.
Known Location, Origin Still Unknown
The signal comes from the galaxy SDSS J015800.28+654253.0, located about 500 million light-years from Earth. It is the closest FRB ever recorded.
Despite the location being identified, the exact origin of the phenomenon remains a mystery to scientists.
The researchers published their observations in January, in a paper on the arXiv preprint server.
For them, this periodic behavior offers a new window of study on the nature of FRBs.
Possible Explanations for the Pattern
One hypothesis raises the possibility that the signal is influenced by its environment. One theory suggests that the source of the burst may orbit around a compact object, such as a black hole. The signal might only be sent at a specific part of its orbit.
Another possibility involves a binary system, formed by a neutron star and a very massive star.
In this case, the neutron star would generate the signals, but they would be periodically blocked by the stellar winds of its companion.
There is also the idea that magnetars—neutron stars with extremely strong magnetic fields—could be responsible. But this conflicts with the 16-day cycle, as magnetars usually rotate much faster.
The CHIME/FRB team continues monitoring the FRB 180916.J0158+65. They hope to detect other signals with similar behavior in different regions of the universe. The repetition of this pattern in other FRBs could help solve one of the biggest mysteries of modern astronomy.
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