Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are brief but powerful flashes of radio waves that last only a thousandth of a second.
These explosions can emit as much energy as entire galaxies, and scientists believe they come from compact cosmic objects like neutron stars or even black holes.
But how FRBs are created has been a mystery since they were first discovered in 2007.
Now, researchers at MIT have uncovered new details about where one of these bursts, called FRB 20221022A, originated.
Their findings, published in Nature, provide the first clear evidence that some FRBs are born very close to neutron stars in highly magnetic environments.
FRB 20221022A was detected by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) telescope in 2022.
This radio burst came from a galaxy about 200 million light-years away. To pinpoint its origin, the team used a unique technique called scintillation, which is similar to how stars appear to twinkle in the night sky.
As light from a distant object passes through gas or other materials in space, it bends and creates a flickering effect. Smaller or farther objects twinkle more, while larger or closer objects twinkle less.
By analyzing how FRB 20221022A’s light twinkled, the scientists discovered it came from a very small, close region—about 10,000 kilometers across, the distance between New York and Singapore.
This region is incredibly close to a neutron star, likely within its magnetosphere—the intensely magnetic area surrounding it. The results showed that the FRB’s radio waves came from a chaotic environment where magnetic fields are some of the strongest in the universe.
Further evidence came from the way the FRB’s light was polarized, or twisted. Researchers at McGill University found the signal’s polarization traced a smooth, S-shaped curve, indicating it was rotating as it traveled. This is a trait seen in pulsars, a type of spinning neutron star.
These findings suggest that the radio burst was released from the magnetosphere of a neutron star. Scientists had debated whether FRBs could escape such extreme environments, but this study shows it’s possible.
“The magnetic fields near these neutron stars are so strong that atoms can’t exist—they’re torn apart,” explains Kiyoshi Masui, a physics professor at MIT. “Our results show that energy stored in these fields can twist and reconfigure to release radio waves powerful enough to travel across the universe.”
CHIME has detected thousands of FRBs in recent years, helping scientists explore their origins. While some theories suggest these bursts come from far-off shockwaves, this new study shows that at least some FRBs originate close to their source.
“This is like measuring the width of a DNA strand from the surface of the moon,” Masui says, marveling at the precision of their results.
By zooming in on the twinkling patterns of FRBs, scientists now have a powerful tool to study their origins and uncover the physics behind these cosmic explosions.
FRBs happen every day, and many remain unexplained. This discovery not only provides clues about their mysterious nature but also opens the door to understanding the diverse ways they can occur.
Source: MIT.
