Dead Stars’ Glitches Unravel Mystery of Rapid Radio Bursts

Researchers have discovered significant anomalies, known as “glitches,” in a magnetar—a highly magnetic variant of a neutron star situated near the Milky Way’s core. These glitches have unexpectedly accelerated the star’s rotation speed.

These sudden accelerations, followed by a deceleration, could shed light on the mysterious interiors of magnetars. Understanding these processes is crucial for unraveling how magnetars generate Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs), which are fleeting yet intense light pulsations capable of outshining an entire galaxy momentarily.

While the existence of these light pulses is acknowledged by the scientific community, their origin remains a mystery.

Sebastien Guillot, a team researcher and assistant professor at Paul Sabatier University in France, explained to Space.com, “We observed sudden increases in the magnetar’s spin rate. Each observation allowed us to gauge its rotation speed, and we found it spinning faster than in prior measurements. Such glitches, though not uncommon in pulsars and magnetars, represent some of the most significant ever recorded.”

Normally, this particular magnetar completes a little over three rotations per second. However, a notable increase in rotation speed was observed following the first glitch. A subsequent glitch, occurring about nine hours later, resulted in a speed increase roughly 100 times that of the first.

Chin-Ping Hu, the study’s lead researcher and an associate professor at the National Changhua University of Education, told Space.com, “Between these glitches, the neutron star’s rotation significantly slowed down, decelerating at a rate 100 times faster than its pre-glitch speed and about 1000 times faster than its long-term average. This deceleration lasted longer than the glitches themselves.”