2024-07-02 06:00:12
In the vastness of the Universe, fast radio bursts (FRBs) intrigue scientists with their colossal energy and brevity. Emitting in a few milliseconds as much energy as the Sun does in three days, these phenomena come from galaxies distant. Yet despite their occurrence — up to 10,000 per day — their origin remains mysterious.
Credit: Jingchuan Yu, Beijing Planetarium
Among these FRBs, a minority recur regularly, while the majority occur only once. This discrepancy has prompted scientists to explore the potential mechanisms behind these bursts. Researchers at the University of Toronto used the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) to study the properties of polarized light from 128 non-recurring FRBs. They found that these unique bursts appear to originate from galaxies similar to our own. Milky Way. Ayush Pandhi, PhD, Dunlap Institute for theastronomy and theastrophysicspoints out that the polarized light of FRBs offers clues to their origins. Unlike stars, FRBs emit polarized light, oriented in a specific direction. This polarisation could reveal the mechanism of their emission and the environments they pass through before reaching Earth.
The study filled a gap in research on non-recurring FRBs, which are often harder to observe than their recurring counterparts. Telescopes must cover vast swaths of the sky to capture these fleeting signals, a task made easier by CHIME.
The findings reveal that non-recurring FRBs travel through less extreme environments than recurring ones, which often originate in turbulent regions, such as supernova remnants. This weaker polarization of non-recurring FRBs could indicate weaker magnetic fields or less dense matter around them.
Fast radio bursts light up the sky above Earth.
Crédit: NRAO Outreach/T. Jarrett (IPAC/Caltech); B. Saxton, NRAO/AUI/NSF
Pandhi says the research could rule out some theories about the objects that cause FRBs, such as highly magnetized neutron stars, known as pulsars. The stark difference in polarization between FRBs and pulsars suggests distinct mechanisms.
Pandhi’s team continues to refine the understanding of these mysterious bursts, seeking to distinguish the polarization of FRBs originating in the Milky Way from those originating in other galaxies. These efforts aim to elucidate the mechanisms behind FRBs, a puzzle that fascinates and motivates researchers to unravel the secrets of these cosmic explosions.
1722893155
#fast #radio #bursts #detected #day #Universe
