Scientists have put forward a new theory about the causes of mysterious radio signals from space

Scientists from the University of Tokyo nominated a new theory about the origin of mysterious signals from space known as Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs). The cause of their occurrence may be “starquakes”.

Fast radio bursts are powerful pulses in intergalactic space that are detected by radio telescopes. They usually last only a few milliseconds, but they release more energy than the Sun produces in a few days. FRBs began to be recorded in 2007, but scientists cannot explain them they still can't.

Up to 10,000 FRBs may occur daily, but there are only about 50 sources that emit bursts regularly. A clue to the reasons for these repetitions may be that the energy distribution of the bursts looks suspiciously like what we see in earthquakes. In a new study, Japanese scientists confirmed the similarity of these phenomena, suggesting that FRBs may be caused aftershocks on the surface of neutron stars.

One potential cause of starquakes themselves is the stress created by the twisting of the stars' exceptionally strong magnetic fields. This is especially true for magnetars.

The team of scientists came to these conclusions after analyzing the time and energy of radiation from almost 7,000 pulses from three different FRB sources. They applied the same method to study the time-energy correlation of earthquakes (using data from Japan) and solar flares (using records from the Hinode International Solar Study Mission), and then compared the results of all three phenomena.

Astronomers have obtained figures that confirm the striking similarities between FRBs and earthquake data, but the clear differences between FRBs and solar flares.

This theory may seem unrealistic at first because it assumes that neutron stars must have a solid crust. But just last year the crust hypothesis was reinforced X-ray observations of the magnetar. In other words, one version fit perfectly into the other - like two pieces of a puzzle.

This theory will require additional research. And since FRBs occur regularly and very often, scientists will have no shortage of data to study.