Pinpointing the Source of a Powerful Cosmic Signal: The RBFLOAT Fast Radio Burst
Astronomers have achieved an unprecedented level of precision in locating the origin of a remarkably luminous fast radio burst (FRB), dubbed RBFLOAT.This burst, detected by the CHIME telescope, is the brightest FRB ever observed and its pinpointed location is akin to spotting a quarter from 62 miles away, according to researcher Kieran Cook.
Prior to advancements in telescope technology, like the outrigger telescopes used in this study, locating FRBs was likened to receiving a phone call without knowing the caller’s location. Now, researchers can identify not only the galaxy, but a specific region within that galaxy where the burst originated.Follow-up observations using the MMT telescope in Arizona and the Keck II telescope in Hawaii revealed RBFLOAT originated within a spiral arm of a galaxy, a region abundant with star formation. However, the burst didn’t come from a star-forming region itself, but nearby. This suggests the source, possibly a magnetar (a highly magnetized rotating neutron star), may have been ejected from its birthplace or formed in a location away from the central star-forming clump.The team then turned to the James webb Space Telescope, searching for an infrared signal from the same location. Webb detected an object,NIR-1,which appears to be either a massive star or a red giant. While neither is considered a direct cause of the FRB, researchers theorize an unseen companion – like a neutron star – could be drawing material from the larger star, triggering the radio burst. Alternatively, the infrared signal could be a reflection of a flare from the FRB-emitting object itself, such as a magnetar.
This is the first time a non-repeating FRB has been localized with such accuracy. Unlike many FRBs that emit repeated pulses, RBFLOAT has not shown any subsequent signals despite hundreds of hours of observation.This makes RBFLOAT particularly valuable for study, as it allows astronomers to map its immediate surroundings and gain insights into the origins of these mysterious signals.
Understanding the environments surrounding both repeating and non-repeating FRBs is crucial to determining why some bursts repeat and others do not. Whether RBFLOAT’s origin points to a double star system or an isolated magnetar, the detailed mapping of its surroundings represents a important step forward in unraveling the mystery of fast radio bursts.
