Astronomers at the University of Sydney have discovered a mysterious source of radio signals. So far, the analysis has not discovered the source of the source, which has been dubbed ASKAP J173608.2-321635, a report published in Science alert reveals.
In a document available on the arXiv prepress server, the researchers describe the mysterious object as “a highly polarized variable radio source located near the galactic center and without any clear counterparts of multiple wavelengths.”
“ASKAP J173608.2-321635 may represent part of a new class of objects that are discovered through radio image surveys,” they continue.
The researchers discovered the mysterious source of radio signals while analyzing data from the Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), designed specifically to capture radio signals from the depths of the universe. Short bursts of radio waves, known as radio transients, often indicate unusual astronomical events. In fact, just last week a study revealed that a mysterious source of radio waves discovered in 2017 came from a premature supernova never seen before triggered by a nearby black hole.
A mysterious celestial object highlights the need for a higher survey cadence
While further analysis could reveal that ASKAP J173608.2-32163 is, in fact, a known object, new data provided by strong radio waves could reveal much about this object. Researchers say the object is highly variable as it emits radio waves for up to weeks at a time and suddenly disappears for up to three months.
ASKAP J173608.2-32163 was first observed in April 2019 when the AKAP array picked it up while searching for radio transients. Between April 2019 and August 2020, the same object was detected 13 times. It was later also detected by the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa in February 2021 and by the Australian Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) in April 2021. The source is surprisingly elusive, as it has not appeared in any radiographs and observations. close to the infrared or in old radio data files verified by researchers at the University of Sydney. This means that it could not be a supernova, a pulsar, or a flaming star, all objects that were originally considered the source.
The object shares some properties with mysterious signals detected near the center of the galaxy, known as galactic center radio transients (GCRTs). Three of these were seen in the early 2000s and the astronomical community has yet to find any explanation for the objects. The researchers say that future observations will allow a greater understanding of how true GCRTs and objects such as ASKAP J173608.2-32163 are. According to the researchers, “it will increase the frequency of the survey and compare the results of this search with other regions [them] understand how truly unique ASKAP J173608.2-321635 is and if it is related to the galactic plane, which should ultimately help us deduce its nature. “