Posted on 09/24/2022 11:25:33 AM PDT by BenLurkin
The object, named FRB 20201124A, was detected with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) in China and described in a new paper led by astronomer Heng Xu of Peking University in China.
So far most evidence points to a magnetar – a neutron star with extraordinarily strong magnetic fields – as a source of FRB emissions like this.
If FRB 20201124A is indeed from one of these wild cosmic beasts, it's looking like an unusual specimen.
Polarization refers to the orientation of light waves in three-dimensional space. By examining how much that orientation has changed since the light departed its source, scientists can understand the environment through which it has passed. Strong polarization suggests a powerful magnetic environment, for example.
Based on the wealth of data delivered by FRB 20201124A, astronomers were able to infer that the source is a magnetar.
But there was something strange. The way the polarization changed over time suggested that the strength of the magnetic field and density of particles around the magnetar were fluctuating.
Because their lives are so brief, these young magnetars are thought to be found in regions where star formation is still occurring. Stars live their short lives and die, creating more clouds of material to give birth to more stars. It's a beautiful cosmic circle of life.
But FRB 20201124A was found in a galaxy a lot like the Milky Way. There's not a lot of star formation going on here at home, so there shouldn't be a baby boom of stars near our unusual new FRB friend either.
(Excerpt) Read more at sciencealert.com ...
They live here. Just ask Bill Gates.
Is this Gates without his mask?
FRBs are fine, could be just random space noise. Now, the day when one REPEATS? That’s a game changer.
ET phone home line 1.
Sure it wasn’t an FJB signal?
Astronomy is over my head.
It is the coffee maker in the nearby cafeteria...
From the article:
The growing count suggests that there’s some vital piece of information we may be missing, some hole in our understanding of FRB magnetars, how they form, and the locations in which they reside.
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In English this means the science is not settled.
Of course, only a hick or a redneck (but I repeat my self?) would say that./s
Even worse is one that counts down.
I know one thing... They better keep their hands on the wheel and start aiming everything out the FRONT WINDSHIELD instead of sight seeing out the side windows or where we have already been.
As a solar system we are on a collision course with who knows what. A train wreck waiting to happen.
Well, this past week I learned that a “magnetar” is actually a portmanteau.
A form of contraction, where the words do not necessarily follow each other in ordinary use. Eg: “smog” = smoke + fog is a portmanteau. “Don’t” is not, because “not” is very frequently found after the word “do”, and, there is not enough left of the word “not”to qualify as a portmanteau.
“Comservpac” is portmanteau.
Now I can rest easy, knowing that it has been a productive weekend.
“portmanteau” is itself a portmanteau.
They’re warning us that the 2000 election was a trap and George W is an alien and a moron. Unfortunately the signal took awhile to get here due to paperwork and bad traffic.
Years ago, I took an astronomy class in college -- thought it might include some stargazing with pretty coeds. ;-)
Naw... it was all math; no coeds & I didn't do so well...
But do you know what a palimpsest is?
While my comment was a play on words, I see your point. As a matter of fact we had an observatory on campus and it was a real treat to be next in line up the ladder to the telescope behind a coed wearing a dress :)
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