OREANDA-NEWS Using the Canadian CHIME telescope (Chime) to map hydrogen intensity, astronomers have identified eight new repeating sources of fast radio burst (FRB).

FRBs are intense bursts of radio emission lasting milliseconds, showing a characteristic dispersive sweep of radio pulsars. The physical nature of these bursts is still unknown, and astronomers consider many explanations, ranging from synchrotron laser radiation from young magnetars in supernova remnants to cosmic strings. The first FRB was opened in 2007.

Dozens of FRBs have been identified to date, only two of them have been detected by repeating their signals. These relays may be the key to solving the riddles of FRBs, as astronomers awaiting the upcoming bursts can prepare extensive follow-up campaigns to investigate such outbreaks in detail.