Fast Radio Burst source source detected

November 4, 2020 Science



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For the first time, scientists have detected a Fast Radio Burst (FRB) that came from our own Milky Way galaxy.
The brilliant flashes of energy only last a split second and their source has puzzled astronomers since an FRB was first discovered in 2007.

For years, the mysterious radio signals have sparked speculations that they may have come from an alien world.

Now researchers report that in April they detected FRB from inside our galaxy for the first time.

A photo file of a Fast Radio Burst detected from space. (Credit: Malesani / Petroff) (Provided)

But their source is more “zombie” than alien.

The radio pulses – the closest observed to Earth – were tracked on a magnetar, known as SGR 1935 + 2154.

According to NASA, magnetars have huge magnetic fields stronger than 100 trillion refrigerator magnets.

Scientists believe they can trigger energy that then disrupts the surrounding environment. This can cause massive emissions to radio and other wavelengths.

But SGR 1935 + 2154 is essentially a “zombie” magnetar, with a decaying magnetic field that may have activated the FRB detected earlier this year, the study says.

An artist’s impression of a magnetar. (European Southern Observatory / L. Calçada) (Provided)
“There is this great mystery about what these great bursts of energy would produce, which until now we have seen coming from half the universe,” said Kiyoshi Masui, professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and one of the researchers. The independent.

“This is the first time we have been able to link one of these exotic fast radio bursts to a single astrophysical object.”

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The study, published in the journal Nature, was reported by two independent radio telescope facilities in North America.
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