A Universal Break in Energy Functions of Three Hyperactive Repeating Fast Radio Bursts
Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration pulses occurring at cosmological distances with a mysterious origin. Observations show that at least some FRBs are produced by magnetars. All magnetar-powered FRB models require some triggering mechanisms, among which the most popular is the cracking...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adaa7f |
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| author | Q. Wu F. Y. Wang Z. Y. Zhao P. Wang H. Xu Y. K. Zhang D. J. Zhou J. R. Niu W. Y. Wang S. X. Yi Z. Q. Hua S. B. Zhang J. L. Han W. W. Zhu K. J. Lee D. Li X. F. Wu Z. G. Dai B. Zhang |
| author_facet | Q. Wu F. Y. Wang Z. Y. Zhao P. Wang H. Xu Y. K. Zhang D. J. Zhou J. R. Niu W. Y. Wang S. X. Yi Z. Q. Hua S. B. Zhang J. L. Han W. W. Zhu K. J. Lee D. Li X. F. Wu Z. G. Dai B. Zhang |
| author_sort | Q. Wu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration pulses occurring at cosmological distances with a mysterious origin. Observations show that at least some FRBs are produced by magnetars. All magnetar-powered FRB models require some triggering mechanisms, among which the most popular is the cracking of the crust of a neutron star, which is called a starquake. However, so far there has been no decisive evidence for this speculation. Here we report the energy functions of the three most active repeating FRBs, which show a universal break around 10 ^38 erg. Such a break is similar to that of the frequency–magnitude relationship of earthquakes. The break, and the change in the power-law indices below and above it, can be well understood within the framework of FRBs triggered by starquakes in the magnetar models. The seed of weak FRBs can grow both on the magnetar surface and in the deeper crust. In contrast, the triggering of strong FRBs is confined by the crustal thickness, and the seed of strong FRBs can only grow on the surface. This difference in dimensionality causes a break in the scaling properties from weak to strong FRBs, occurring at a point where the penetration depth of starquakes equals the crustal thickness. Our result, together with the earthquake-like temporal properties of these FRBs, strongly supports the idea that FRBs are triggered by starquakes, providing a new opportunity to study the physical properties of the crust of a neutron star. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9643e9e3438040c7a63a3040cff83a40 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-9643e9e3438040c7a63a3040cff83a402025-01-29T17:57:24ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052025-01-019792L4210.3847/2041-8213/adaa7fA Universal Break in Energy Functions of Three Hyperactive Repeating Fast Radio BurstsQ. Wu0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6021-5933F. Y. Wang1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4157-7714Z. Y. Zhao2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2171-9861P. Wang3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3386-7159H. Xu4https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5031-8098Y. K. Zhang5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8744-3546D. J. Zhou6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6423-6106J. R. Niu7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8065-4191W. Y. Wang8https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9036-8543S. X. Yi9https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0672-5646Z. Q. Hua10https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7518-337XS. B. Zhang11https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2366-219XJ. L. Han12https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9274-3092W. W. Zhu13https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5105-4058K. J. Lee14https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1435-0883D. Li15https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3010-7661X. F. Wu16https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6299-1263Z. G. Dai17https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7835-8585B. Zhang18https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9725-2524School of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; wqin@smail.nju.edu.cn, fayinwang@nju.edu.cnSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; wqin@smail.nju.edu.cn, fayinwang@nju.edu.cn; Key Laboratory of Modern Astronomy and Astrophysics, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China; Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; wqin@smail.nju.edu.cn, fayinwang@nju.edu.cnNational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China; Institute for Frontiers in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 102206, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of ChinaUniversity of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100049, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Physics and Physical Engineering, Qufu Normal University , Qufu 273165, People’s Republic of ChinaSchool of Astronomy and Space Science, Nanjing University , Nanjing 210093, People’s Republic of China ; wqin@smail.nju.edu.cn, fayinwang@nju.edu.cnPurple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China; Institute for Frontiers in Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing Normal University , Beijing 102206, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China; Kavli Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Peking University , Beijing 100871, People’s Republic of ChinaNational Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Beijing 100101, People’s Republic of China; Department of Astronomy, Tsinghua University , Beijing 100084, People’s Republic of ChinaPurple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of China; School of Astronomy and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of ChinaDepartment of Astronomy, University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei 230026, People’s Republic of China ; daizg@ustc.edu.cnNevada Center for Astrophysics, University of Nevada , Las Vegas, NV 89154, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Nevada , Las Vegas, NV 89154, USAFast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration pulses occurring at cosmological distances with a mysterious origin. Observations show that at least some FRBs are produced by magnetars. All magnetar-powered FRB models require some triggering mechanisms, among which the most popular is the cracking of the crust of a neutron star, which is called a starquake. However, so far there has been no decisive evidence for this speculation. Here we report the energy functions of the three most active repeating FRBs, which show a universal break around 10 ^38 erg. Such a break is similar to that of the frequency–magnitude relationship of earthquakes. The break, and the change in the power-law indices below and above it, can be well understood within the framework of FRBs triggered by starquakes in the magnetar models. The seed of weak FRBs can grow both on the magnetar surface and in the deeper crust. In contrast, the triggering of strong FRBs is confined by the crustal thickness, and the seed of strong FRBs can only grow on the surface. This difference in dimensionality causes a break in the scaling properties from weak to strong FRBs, occurring at a point where the penetration depth of starquakes equals the crustal thickness. Our result, together with the earthquake-like temporal properties of these FRBs, strongly supports the idea that FRBs are triggered by starquakes, providing a new opportunity to study the physical properties of the crust of a neutron star.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adaa7fRadio transient sourcesMagnetarsNeutron starsRadio bursts |
| spellingShingle | Q. Wu F. Y. Wang Z. Y. Zhao P. Wang H. Xu Y. K. Zhang D. J. Zhou J. R. Niu W. Y. Wang S. X. Yi Z. Q. Hua S. B. Zhang J. L. Han W. W. Zhu K. J. Lee D. Li X. F. Wu Z. G. Dai B. Zhang A Universal Break in Energy Functions of Three Hyperactive Repeating Fast Radio Bursts The Astrophysical Journal Letters Radio transient sources Magnetars Neutron stars Radio bursts |
| title | A Universal Break in Energy Functions of Three Hyperactive Repeating Fast Radio Bursts |
| title_full | A Universal Break in Energy Functions of Three Hyperactive Repeating Fast Radio Bursts |
| title_fullStr | A Universal Break in Energy Functions of Three Hyperactive Repeating Fast Radio Bursts |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Universal Break in Energy Functions of Three Hyperactive Repeating Fast Radio Bursts |
| title_short | A Universal Break in Energy Functions of Three Hyperactive Repeating Fast Radio Bursts |
| title_sort | universal break in energy functions of three hyperactive repeating fast radio bursts |
| topic | Radio transient sources Magnetars Neutron stars Radio bursts |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/adaa7f |
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