NASA telescopes witness star’s dramatic melting, fast radio burst puzzle solved?

These fleeting radio bursts, known as fast radio bursts (FRBs), release immense amounts of energy in milliseconds, leaving scientists baffled about their origins. Until recently, they were seen only from a distance, making their source a cosmic sight. Then, in 2020, an explosion within our own galaxy finally revealed a culprit: a magnetar, an ultra-dense remnant of a collapsed star.

Enter SGR 1935+2154, a magnetar notorious for its antics. In October 2022, it threw another tantrum, emitting FRBs detected by NASA’s NICER and NuSTAR telescopes. The unprecedented pair observed the magnetar for hours, observing its behavior before and after its explosion.

The data revealed a surprising twist: Just before the explosion, the magnetar’s spin slowed dramatically, 100 times faster than ever seen before. This rapid slowdown hints at a connection to the eruption itself, a puzzle scientists are eager to piece together.

The unstable nature of magnets is nothing new to scientists. Its immense density creates a playground for extreme physics with X-ray and gamma-ray bursts. Shortly before the 2022 FRB, an increase in these high-energy emissions signaled trouble.

“All previous eruptions could have had enough energy to produce FRBs, but they did not,” said Zorawar Wadiyasingh, a researcher involved in the study. “Something changed during the recession that created the right conditions.”

One theory points to the magnetar’s unusual interior, where a superfluid dances beneath a solid layer. When these layers collide, like flowing water in a spinning fish bowl, energy surges upward, potentially causing an explosion.

However, with only one phenomenon observed in real time, the exact mechanics remain elusive. The magnetar’s powerful magnetic field and possible cracks in its surface are other suspects, each adding to the intrigue.

“We’ve seen something important for understanding FRBs,” said George Younes, a researcher on the project. “But more data is needed to solve the mystery.”

This cosmic detective work, in which NASA’s telescopes are playing a key role, is shedding light on these mysterious explosions. Each observation brings scientists closer to uncovering the secrets hidden within the exploding hearts of dead stars.

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Published: Feb 18, 2024, 08:36 am IST