FRBs: The Mysterious Fast Radio Bursts That Keep Repeating

Using a new algorithm, the state-of-the-art CHIME radiotelescope has identified 25 more repeated radio signals between 2019 and 2021. Here's what we know.

Like gravitational waves (GW) and gamma-ray bursts (GRB), fast radio bursts (FRB) are one of the most powerful and mysterious astronomical phenomena. These events consist of explosions that emit more energy in a millisecond than the Sun emits in three days. Using a new type of algorithm, the CHIME/FRB radiotelescope has detected 25 more radio signals in space, and astronomers say "They continue to repeat." Here's what we know about them.

Fast radio bursts

Radio signals
What is intriguing about this discovery is that many radio signals are surprisingly inactive, meaning they produce less than one burst per week. Scientists believe this could be due to the fact that these FRBs have not been observed long enough.

Fast radio bursts are extremely useful for astronomers as they offer the opportunity to observe the same FRB source with different telescopes than the one that initially detected them, allowing for a more detailed observation of these mysterious events.

The astronomers' findings could also have important implications for stars. "FRBs are likely produced by the remnants of explosive dead stars. By studying in detail the repeated sources of FRBs, we can study the environments in which these explosions occur and better understand the final stages of a star's life," explained the study's lead author, Ziggy Pleunis. "We can also learn more about the material that is ejected before and during the star's disappearance, which is then returned to the galaxies where FRBs reside."