Astronomers detect 249 radio signals in minutes from mysterious deep-space source

249 Radio Signals Detected in Minutes from Mysterious Cosmic Source (Image: Canva)

Astronomers in South Africa caught a rare cosmic event. Using MeerKAT, they tracked a torrent of short radio bursts. The source fired hundreds of signals across multiple frequency bands.

What did astronomers detect with MeerKAT?

The team identified a repeating fast radio burst source. FRB 20240619D was discovered on June 19, 2024. Within two minutes, three bursts were first recorded in the L band.

One week later, scientists tracked the source again carefully. They observed activity across ultra high, L, and S bands. In total, 249 bursts were recorded in this period.

The high rate makes it one of the most active. Researchers compared burst counts across observing frequencies in real time. Activity showed a clear preference for the L band.

What did the bursts reveal about their behaviour?

Many pulses filled only slices of the frequency band. Some displayed drifting substructures that moved downward with time. This pattern is often linked with known repeaters elsewhere.

Most bursts were highly linearly polarised, but not all. A fraction showed measurable circular polarisation during observations. These results helped narrow down possible physical emission models.

The data suggest activity near a strong magnetic star. Features matched scenarios expected from magnetars rather than external shocks. Angle shifts and swings hinted at plasma effects locally.

What do these findings mean for fast radio bursts?

The new source resembled earlier repeaters like FRB 20121102A. Both displayed storms of hundreds of events within one hour. Similarities suggest a common origin behind such active repeaters.

FRBs allow scientists to map hidden matter across space. Signals accumulate dispersion while crossing intergalactic plasma environments. Measuring them helps locate missing baryons in the cosmic web.

The results, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, highlight how rapid bursts offer unique tools for exploring the universe’s hidden structure.