astronomer have encounter only a couple of 12 fast radio bursts ( FRBs ) – extragalactic radio emissions that last for only a fistful of msec . Out of those , only one has been keep repeating more than once .
That sign , known asFRB 121102 , is believed to be because of a neutron star , and new inquiry seems to support the estimation . researcher have see at the galaxy that host FRB 121102 using the Hubble Space Telescope . They found that the sign seems to be come from a stellar nursery . This suggests that the source of the radio signal is a stellar physical object , rather than a supermassive contraband golf hole .
Theresearchis presently being peer - reviewed and has been submitted to the Astrophysical Journal Letters . There ’s also anotherstudy , in the same stage of compliance to the Astrophysical Journal , that look at the galaxy that hosts FRB 121102 . The 2d subject used the Subaru Telescope in Hawaii to work out the property of the galaxy , which is locate 2.4 billion light - years out .
The galaxy is an maverick object , so it ’s neither spiral nor elliptical , and is relatively low at only 20,000 light-colored - year across – about one - one-fifth of the Milky Way . Both studies show that the galaxy is forming novel stars at a prolific rate for its tiny sizing .
The superstar - forming region where FRB 121102 originates is turn up on the outskirt of the Galax urceolata , 6,200 light - class from the core . The stellar nursery is about 4,400 light - years in diam , a lot turgid than anything we have in our own galaxy .
The researchers think that FRB 121102 is generated by a neutron star , a compact object bigger than the Sun but compressed to only 20 kilometers ( 12 land mile ) across . The neutron star is believed to have a strong charismatic field , which accelerates particles around it and send the millisecond wireless undulation pulses as repeated FRBs .
The type of neutron stars known asmagnetarsform when a massive star reaches the end of its life-time , but it ’s not massive enough to plow into a fatal hole . The star goes supernova and leave behind a break nitty-gritty of debauched subject – the neutron star . In star - forming part , massive stars are the first to form and the first to become flat , so it ’s not a surprisal that FRB 121102 is located there .
Although this explanation fit well the characteristics of FRB 121102 , more observations are necessary to confirm it . Also , this can not be applied to your generic FRBs . These sign remain mystical , and although we have contract down the list of possible suspects , we have yet to reassert the true perpetrator .
[ H / T : New Scientist ]
