Mind-Boggling: Celestial Enigma Unveiled - 8 Billion-Year Journey of a mind-bending fast radio burst to Earth!
Astronomers have recently discovered an incredibly powerful and enigmatic fast radio burst from space This millisecond-long burst of radio waves has traveled an astonishing distance of 8 billion years to finally reach our planet Earth
Get news on incredible findings and scientific progress by subscribing to CNN's Wonder Theory science newsletter. Join us as we delve into the universe, including the recent discovery of a bewildering burst of radio waves. This astronomical phenomenon, which has traveled for 8 billion years to reach us, is both incredibly distant and energetically powerful.
Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are brief bursts of radio waves that last for milliseconds and have mysterious sources. The existence of FRBs was first confirmed in 2007, and since then, numerous of these rapid cosmic signals have been observed emanating from different locations in the universe.
According to a study published in the journal Science on Thursday, the burst designated as FRB 20220610A lasted for less than a millisecond but emitted energy equivalent to what our sun produces in 30 years.
Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are characterized by their short duration, emitting incredibly bright radio waves that vanish within milliseconds, posing challenges to their observation.
One tool proving invaluable in studying these fleeting cosmic phenomena is the ASKAP array of radio telescopes. Situated on Wajarri Yamaji Country in Western Australia, astronomers employed ASKAP to identify and trace the origin of an FRB that occurred in June 2022.
This artist's concept shows what the exoplanet WASP-17 b could look like.
WASP-17 b, known as DitsöÌ, is a massive gas giant that orbits its star at an incredibly close distance of 0.051 AU (approximately 4.75 million miles). It completes a full orbit in a mere 3.7 Earth-days. Located about 1,300 light-years away from Earth in the Scorpius constellation within the Milky Way, this planet exhibits a unique combination of characteristics. With a volume over seven times larger than Jupiter but less than half the mass, WASP-17 b stands out as an exceptionally inflated planet. Its short orbital period, considerable size, and dense atmosphere make it a notable candidate for transmission spectroscopy, a technique used to study the effects of the planet's atmosphere on the starlight passing through it.
WASP-17 b's atmosphere consists mainly of hydrogen and helium, with traces of water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other molecules. Webb's MIRI observations of infrared light in the 5- to 12-micron range reveal the presence of quartz nanocrystal clouds in the atmosphere of WASP-17 b.
This exoplanet is tidally locked and follows a retrograde orbit. The temperature on its cooler nightside ranges around 1,000 kelvins (1,350 degrees F or 725 degrees C), while the side that always faces daylight reaches nearly 2,000 kelvins (3,150 degrees F or 1,725 degrees C).
The star, also known as Diwö, is an F-type star, which is slightly bigger, more massive, hotter, and whiter compared to the Sun. This artist's concept incorporates recent data collected by MIRI along with previous observations from various ground- and space-based telescopes, including NASA's Hubble and retired Spitzer telescopes. Webb has not yet obtained any images of the planet.
NASA, ESA, CSA, Ralf Crawford (STScI)
Quartz crystals detected swirling in an exoplanets atmosphere
"By utilizing ASKAP's array of radio dishes, we successfully pinpointed the exact origin of the burst," stated Dr. Stuart Ryder, an astronomer at Macquarie University in Australia, and coauthor of the study. "Subsequently, we employed the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope in Chile to locate the source galaxy, revealing that it is older and more distant than any other previously identified FRB source. Furthermore, the galaxy is likely situated within a small merging group of galaxies."
The research team determined that the burst originated from a group of two or three galaxies undergoing the process of merging, interacting, and generating new stars. This discovery supports existing theories proposing that fast radio bursts originate from magnetars, which are highly energetic objects resulting from star explosions.
Scientists speculate that fast radio bursts could serve as a distinctive means to gauge the universe by assessing the unexplained matter between galaxies. According to Ryan Shannon, a coauthor of the study and a professor at Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, more than half of the anticipated matter in the universe, which comprises the fundamental atoms we consist of, is currently unaccounted for. It is presumed that this missing matter is concealed within the intergalactic space, potentially being too hot and scattered to be detected through conventional methodologies.
The current estimation methods for the mass of the universe have yielded conflicting results, indicating that the complete extent of the universe may not be accounted for.
According to Shannon, fast radio bursts have the capability to detect ionized material. They have the exceptional ability to observe all the electrons even in areas of space that are almost completely void of matter. This unique characteristic enables us to determine the quantity of matter present between galaxies.
Mysterious planet-like objects can be seen for the first time in this image of the inner Orion Nebula and Trapezium Cluster.
NASA/ESA/CSA
Unprecedented discovery seems to defy fundamental astronomical theories
The late Australian astronomer Jean-Pierre Macquart demonstrated in 2020 how fast radio bursts can be used to detect missing matter. This method revealed that the farther away a fast radio burst is, the more diffuse gas it uncovers between galaxies. Known as the Macquart relation, some recent fast radio bursts appeared to defy this relationship. However, our measurements reaffirm that the Macquart relation remains valid even beyond half the known Universe.
To date, around 50 fast radio bursts have been successfully traced back to their source points, with approximately half of them being identified through the use of ASKAP.
"While the origin of these powerful bursts of energy remains unknown, this research paper validates the fact that fast radio bursts are frequent occurrences in the universe. It also highlights their potential in detecting matter between different galaxies and gaining a deeper comprehension of the Universe's structure," Shannon stated.
Astronomers are optimistic that the upcoming radio telescopes, being built in South Africa and Australia, will be able to detect numerous fast radio bursts from much farther distances.
"The sheer abundance of FRBs is truly remarkable," Shannon explained. "This abundance signifies the potential of this field, as we can gather data not only from 30 bursts, but from thousands of bursts. By doing so, we can create a new map of the universe's structure and find answers to significant cosmological queries."
