A new study uses scintillation, the twinkling of light from distant sources, to learn more about the origin and properties of fast radio bursts (FRBs).
Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are flashes of radio light that can outshine a galaxy but often last for only a fraction of a second. They are notoriously difficult to study because they are so brief and random. For years, scientists could only observe them by chance and speculate about their origins. Now, thanks to wide-field radio telescopes, we have a general understanding that they seem to originate from highly magnetic neutron stars known as magnetars. However, the details are still debated.
A new study used a method called scintillation to reveal more clues about FRBs. Most FRBs occur in distant galaxies, meaning their light travels through both the intergalactic and interstellar medium before reaching us. This journey can cause the light to distort in frequency and polarization due to interactions with gas and dust. Different media affect different wavelengths of radio light, which can help scientists understand the origins of an FRB. Researchers focused on an FRB named 20221022A, originating in a galaxy 200 million light-years away. As the light traveled to Earth, interaction with the intergalactic medium caused the burst to flicker in brightness, a phenomenon known as scintillation. This is similar to how stars twinkle due to their light passing through turbulent layers of Earth's atmosphere. By analyzing the scintillation of 20221022A, the team was able to determine the size and location of the FRB light source
FAST RADIO BURSTS SCINTILLATION MAGNETARS INTERGALACTIC MEDIUM NEUTRON STARS
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