3 min read
0 comments
Rare phenomenon intrigues scientists and could help better understand the mechanisms behind fast radio bursts (FRBs)
A mysterious signal coming from a distant galaxy is puzzling scientists. For the first time, a burst of rFast Radio Beam (FRB) was observed with a fixed and predictable pattern: it pulsates every 16 days. The discovery could be an important clue to understanding the origin of this still unexplained cosmic phenomenon.
Unusual discovery in deep space
FRBs were first detected in 2007. Since then, these short, intense pulses of radio waves have challenged astronomers' understanding.
Some bursts happen only once, while others, called repeatedoras, they start to emit signals again after some time. But until now, none of them had shown a clear repeating cycle.
- Scientists have developed a navigation system based on principles of quantum physics that promises to be up to 50 times more accurate than GPS — even in places without a satellite signal
- China's new spy satellite technology can capture faces from space using laser and radar technology
- You Can Now Own Your Own Military-Grade Personal Satellite for $5,5 Million
- Historic Find: Bite Marks on Roman Skeleton Reveal First Ever Physical Evidence of Gladiator-Lion Duel
Between September 2018 and October 2019, researchers from Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment Fast Radio Bursts (CHIME/FRB) Project monitored a specific signal.
Baptized FRB 180916.J0158+65, this source presented a behavior never recorded before: the pulses occur for four days, disappear for 12 and return, totaling a cycle of 16,35 days.
Location known, origin not yet
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.
Although the location has been identified, the exact origin of the phenomenon remains a mystery to scientists.
The researchers released their observations in January in a preprint server posting arXiv.
For them, this periodic behavior offers a new window of study into 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 a compact object, such as a black hole. The signal would only be sent in 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 companion's stellar winds.
There is also the idea that magnetars — neutron stars with extremely strong magnetic fields — are responsible. But this conflicts with the 16-day cycle, as magnetars tend to spin much faster.
The CHIME/FRB team continues to monitor 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 puzzles in modern astronomy.
