Fast Radio Bursts

Why in news?

• An international team has spotted a remote blast of cosmic radio waves lasting less than a millisecond. This 'fast radio burst' (FRB) is the most distant ever detected.

About Fast Radio Bursts

• Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are mysterious and high-energy astrophysical phenomena characterized by brief and intense bursts of radio waves coming from deep space.
• FRBs are extremely short-lived, typically lasting only a few milliseconds, but they release a tremendous amount of energy during that brief time.
• The first FRB was detected in 2007, and since then, astronomers have observed numerous similar events.
• The exact cause of FRBs remains a subject of ongoing research and debate. Potential sources include neutron stars, black holes, magnetars (highly magnetic neutron stars), and even extragalactic phenomena.
• FRBs appear to come from various locations across the universe, and they are detected by radio telescopes on Earth.
• FRBs are of great interest to astrophysicists and astronomers because they offer a unique opportunity to study extremely energetic and distant events. They also provide insights into the universe’s structure, magnetic fields, and the behavior of matterunder extreme conditions.
• Despite ongoing research and discoveries, many aspects of FRBs remain a mystery. The exact mechanisms responsible for these bursts and their sources are still topics of active investigation.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Consider the following statements regarding Fast Radio Bursts:

1. They are short-lived and intense burst of radio waves from deep space.
2. They can help in the study of matter in the universe.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both 1 and 2

(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer