Scientists are baffled by a strange radio signal picked up by the most advanced radio telescopes that defies the laws of Physics. The bizarre cosmic object named CHIME J1634+44 is called a long-period radio transient in astronomy as it repeats signals at long intervals. As the star fizzles out, the period between the emissions should ideally increase. But with this object, the time interval is becoming shorter, and the signals are being sent more quickly. This phenomenon is completely against the known principles of the universe, which is what has left them wondering about it. The long-period radio transient had more strange characteristics. CHIME J1634+44 is also one of the most polarised long-period radio transients ever discovered, meaning the radio waves released by it twist in a perfect spiral while travelling. In these two ways, the object not only breaks the known laws of the universe, but also pushes the case for something new and unknown. Also Read: Expert says interstellar object 3I/ATLAS is alien spacecraft: 3 reasons why he thinks so
Radio signal with two different intervals
These peculiar characteristics make this transient a “unicorn” in the universe, the lead author of the study, Fengqiu Adam Dong, said. He says that multiple observations of the signals being released by this object have been made, but it is unclear what is going on there. Dong believes there could be two objects instead of one, with something orbiting a neutron star. “The bursts seem to repeat either every 14 minutes or 841 seconds. But there is a distinct secondary period of 4206 seconds, or 70 minutes, which is exactly five times longer. We think both are real,” he said. Such radio signals are released by neutron stars or white dwarfs whose rotations slow down as they reach the end of their lives. The time between the signals, thus, increases. However, with CHIME J1634+44, they are becoming faster. Also Read: Moon babies from asteroid collisions mean Earth has 7 moons at all times
Identity of the object releasing radio signals is a mystery
So, is it speeding up? Scientists don’t think that is possible for a lone star. That is why they think there could be two stars orbiting each other very closely. Suppose the orbit of this binary system is shrinking because of factors like the emission of gravitational waves or interactions with each other. In that case, the spin period might appear to be getting shorter. However, the confusion over their identity persists because they are not acting like a white dwarf or a neutron star. Radio bursts from CHIME J1634+44 are 100 per cent circularly polarised, and none of them have ever been seen to have a perfect spiral for every burst. Such radio waves have never been seen in any object known to scientists. Dong said, “The discovery of CHIME J1634+44 expands the known population of long-period radio transients and challenges existing models of neutron stars and white dwarfs, suggesting there may be many more such objects awaiting discovery.”
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