A study by scientists from the MIT Kavli Institute and others, published in The Astrophysical Journal, has doubled the known repeating Fast Radio Burst (FRB) sources from 25 to 50. This research utilized advanced statistical tools and data from the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), which has been crucial in discovering numerous FRBs. The findings lead to the hypothesis that all FRBs may eventually repeat, albeit with variations in burst duration and frequency, suggesting different origins.
FRBs, enigmatic flashes of radio waves from outside the Milky Way, are believed to be linked to the remnants of dying stars. The study reveals that many repeating FRBs are inactive, producing fewer than one burst per week during observation. By analyzing signals from CHIME’s extensive array of antennas, the team was able to facilitate the identification of sources and their coordinates for further exploration by other observatories.
The research enhances our understanding of the environments surrounding stellar explosions and contributes to deciphering the life cycles of stars, as well as the material expelled during their demise. The implications are significant, as this larger sample of data may change how astronomers perceive both repeating and non-repeating FRBs.
