Discovery challenges assumptions about origin of mysterious space signal
For the first time, astronomers have tracked mysterious cosmic signals in the outer reaches of an ancient, inactive galaxy, upending previous theories about the origins of these mysterious bursts. The discovery, published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters on January 21, 2025, marks an important shift in the understanding of fast radio bursts (FRBs). It has puzzled scientists since its discovery.
The signal, named FRB 20240209A, was detected at the edge of an 11.3-billion-year-old galaxy about 2 billion light-years from Earth. What’s striking about this discovery is its location—previous FRBs have typically been found in younger, star-forming galaxies.
“The common theory is that FRBs originate from magnetars formed as core-collapse supernovae,” explains Tarraneh Eftekhari of Northwestern University, who led one of the two complementary studies. item. “That doesn’t appear to be the case here. While young, massive stars end their lives as core-collapse supernovae, we see no evidence of any young stars in this galaxy. Thanks to this new discovery, a picture is emerging appeared, indicating that not all fast radio bursts come from young stars.
The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) first detected the burst in February 2024 and produced 21 additional signals by July 2024. .
“This ‘conversation’ with the universe is what makes our field of time-domain astronomy so incredibly exciting,” said Wen-fai Fong of Northwestern University, senior author of both studies. “This new fast radio burst shows us that just when you think you understand an astrophysical phenomenon, the universe turns upside down and surprises us.”
The unusual nature of this burst—it is 130,000 light-years away from the center of the Milky Way and contains almost no stars—is of particular interest to researchers. “Of all the FRBs, this one is the farthest from the center of its host galaxy,” said Vishwagi Shah, a graduate student at McGill University who led the effort to pinpoint the origin of FRBs. “This is both surprising and exciting because FRBs are expected to originate from within galaxies, typically in star-forming regions.”
The signal’s remote location may provide clues about its origin. One possibility is that it came from a dense cluster of ancient stars called a globular cluster. Another explanation could involve the merger of two neutron stars or the collapse of a white dwarf.
The discovery has implications beyond astronomy. Fast radio bursts produce more energy in one rapid burst than the sun emits in an entire year, making them a powerful tool for studying matter and forces between galaxies. Understanding their origins helps scientists better understand the fundamental physics that governs our universe.
The research team plans to conduct follow-up observations using the James Webb Space Telescope to further investigate the precise location and environment of the fast radio burst. As Shah explains, “If we discover a globular cluster at the location of an FRB, that FRB would be the second FRB known to exist in a globular cluster. If not, we would have to consider other exotic scenarios for the origin of FRBs. .
Eftekhari concluded: “It is clear that there is still room for exciting discoveries about fast radio bursts, and that their environment may hold the key to unlocking their secrets.”
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