Astronomical Mystery: Strange Radio Signal Detected From Outside the Milky Way
New research reveals a never-before-seen behavior in a repeating Fast Radio Burst, offering fresh insights into these mysterious cosmic phenomena.
FRBs: Mysterious Cosmic Signals
Astronomers are continuing to unravel the mystery of deep space signals after discovering a never-before-seen quirk in a newly-detected Fast Radio Burst (FRB). FRBs are millisecond-long, extremely bright flashes of radio light that generally come from outside our Milky Way galaxy. Most happen only once but some 'repeaters' send out follow-up signals, adding to the intrigue surrounding their origin.
New research reveals a never-before-seen behavior in a repeating Fast Radio Burst, offering fresh insights into these mysterious cosmic phenomena.
Unprecedented Pattern in FRB 20220912A
Scientists at the SETI Institute in California recorded 35 FRBs from one source, FRB 20220912A, over a period of two months and found that a fascinating pattern emerged. Like most repeating FRBs, each burst drifted from higher to lower frequencies over time.
But with FRB 20220912A there was also a never-before-seen drop in the center frequency of the bursts, revealing what sounds like a cosmic slide-whistle when converted into a sonification using notes on a xylophone. In it, most of the highest notes can be heard in the first few seconds and the majority of the lowest ones in the final seconds, as if the xylophone player is repeatedly hitting the lowest available bar on the instrument.
Advancing Understanding of FRBs
Astronomers think at least some FRBs are generated by a type of neutron star known as a magnetar – the highly magnetized cores of dead stars – while other theories point the finger at colliding neutron star binaries or merging white dwarfs.
The latest research is another step forward in the quest to unlock the secrets of FRBs, which generate as much energy in a thousandth of a second as our Sun does in an entire year. Researchers are narrowing down the source of FRBs, but existing models cannot explain all of the observed properties so far.
