Within the gigantic universe, magnetars enormously huge magnetic fields.

By Palak Srivastava

Within the gigantic universe, magnetars are one of the most mysterious and fascinating kinds of neutron stars that possess enormously huge magnetic fields. Only recently, one such magnetar from our galaxy has emitted something called a Fast Radio Burst—or FRB—a very powerful, very short burst of energy. This will be the first FRB observed from our own galaxy, giving significant clues about the origin of these bursts. Knowing this now, it follows that, after the FRB, the magnetar started pulsing—the pulsars' characteristic—has been pulsing the radiation. This helps scientists learn more about neutron stars and the nature of FRBs themselves.

What's a Magnetar?

A magnetar is a kind of neutron star—the crushed core of a massive star that went supernova. The peculiarity of magnetars is their ultrahigh magnetic fields, which are a many billion times more powerful than Earth's. The fields are able to twist the star's crust and, through doing so, give rise to enormous energy blasts that include X-rays and even gamma rays. Magnetars rotate at rather slow revolutions; however, the magnetic fields are so immensely strong that they stand as some of the most energetic sources of our universe.

Fast Radio Burst FRB Discovery

Scientists detected a mighty burst of radio waves on April 28, 2020, from SGR J1935+2154. This event is called FRB 20200428, which was the first FRB detected to go off inside the Milky Way galaxy. Fast Radio Bursts are short but ultra-powerful radio flashes which since their discovery in 2007 have puzzled scientists. Up to now, all known FRBs came from other galaxies, making any attempts to study them in detail all but impossible. The detection of an FRB from a magnetar within our own galaxy has nailed a missing link between magnetars and FRBs.

### Magnetar becomes Pulsar

After the FRB, the neutron star SGR J1935+2154 really started acting like a pulsar. Pulsars are another class of neutron star, letting off beams of electromagnetic radiation from their poles. As the star rotates, the beams sweep up through space, appearing as regular pulses of radiation when detected back on Earth. The interest of scientists has been driven by the fact that SGR J1935+2154 has transitioned from magnetar to radio pulsar—a truly unprecedented event in the history of astronomy—implying that there is a deeper link between these two neutron star populations. Magnetars and pulsars share neutron stars as common parent stars, but their behavior depends on the dominant connected parameters: magnetic fields and rotational speed.

### Astrophysical Implications

FRB20120204 from SGR J1935+2154 opened new ways of research in astrophysics. Scientists are now inclined to believe that many FRBs, especially those from outside our galaxy, might well be produced by magnetars, which would make FRBs so energetic and flashing short. Such behavior of SGR J1935+2154 like both magnetar and pulsar allows studying these phenomena in the cosmic objects in unprecedented detail.

Future Research

The result has renewed interest in neutron star studies, especially magnetars and pulsars. Further research will try to explain the mechanisms that generate FRBs and the connection between magnetars and pulsars. Observing more FRBs should reveal more information about their local environments and how they interact with their surroundings. The future study of SGR J1935+2154 thus holds a strong promise to reveal the mysteries of such energetic cosmic events.

That makes this FRB event originating from a magnetar very important in understanding the origins of these mystery bursts and neutron star behaviors much better. Through research, it is hoped that science one day will unlock the secrets of such powerful objects and their places in the universe.

By palak Srivastava