New Revelations about Repeating Fast Radio Burst FRB 20220912A

Dec 16, 2023 - Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), those brief and intense flashes of radio waves from distant corners of the universe, continue to bewilder astronomers. Discovered in 2007, these millisecond-long bursts remain a cosmic enigma, and a recent discovery has added a peculiar twist to the mystery.

Newly detected repeating fast radio burst FRB 20220912A has unveiled an unexpected pattern, challenging researchers to unravel its secrets. Published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, a study sheds light on this discovery, providing valuable insights while introducing fresh puzzles to solve.

Observations with the Allen Telescope Array:

Researchers, using the California-based SETI Institute's Allen Telescope Array (ATA), observed FRB 20220912A. The ATA, equipped with 42 antennae, played a crucial role in detecting 35 fast radio bursts from this source over a two-month period.

The Quirky Pattern:

While many FRBs are elusive, some, like FRB 20220912A, exhibit repeating patterns. What sets this burst apart is its unique behavior: a noticeable drop in the center frequency of the bursts, akin to a celestial slide whistle. This unexpected characteristic became more apparent when the signals were translated into sounds, resembling notes on a xylophone.

Unraveling the Mystery:

The study aimed to uncover patterns within the timings between each burst, similar to other known repeating FRBs. Surprisingly, no clear pattern emerged for FRB 20220912A, adding to the unpredictability of these cosmic events.

Lead study author Dr. Sofia Sheikh, a National Science Foundation MPS-Ascend postdoctoral fellow at the SETI Institute, expressed excitement about the findings. "This work is exciting because it provides both confirmation of known FRB properties and the discovery of some new ones," she said.

More Questions Than Answers:

With each observation of FRBs, researchers find both insights and new questions. The origin of FRBs remains a puzzle, with theories ranging from powerful magnetars to collisions between dense neutron stars or dead stars called white dwarfs. While narrowing down potential sources, no existing model can fully explain all observed properties.

The Allen Telescope Array's Role:

This study marks the first observation of fast radio bursts using the refurbished Allen Telescope Array, currently undergoing upgrades. These enhancements not only track how fast radio bursts behave at different frequencies but also enable the search for fainter signals, opening new possibilities for unraveling the mysteries of FRBs.

The baffling signals from FRB 20220912A, as observed by the Allen Telescope Array, continue to deepen the mystery surrounding these cosmic flashes. While providing valuable insights, each discovery raises more questions, highlighting the need for advanced telescopes and innovative approaches to decode the secrets hidden within the vast expanse of our universe.

Source: ARXIV