US EditionMysterious Radio Pulses Found in Antarctica Seem to Defy Physics, and Researchers Are Trying to Trace Their Origins
EARTH ORBIT, JUN 20 – The long-inactive Relay 2 satellite emitted a brief radio pulse lasting less than 30 nanoseconds, possibly caused by electrostatic discharge or micrometeoroid impact, researchers said.
- On June 13, 2024, ASKAP detected a <30 nanosecond pulse peaking over 300,000 Jy from NASA's Relay-2 satellite, long presumed inactive.
- Analysis traced the pulse to NASA's Relay-2 satellite, launched in 1964 and inactive since 1967, pinpointed at approximately 12,400 miles altitude.
- Scientists propose electrostatic discharge or micrometeoroid impact as plausible causes for the satellite's brief, intense radio pulse, with researchers stating, 'We consider…plausible explanations.'
- This event highlights space debris hazards threatening active satellites and presents opportunities for improved detection of discharges using existing ground-based systems.
- Future studies, as submitted to The Astrophysical Journal, will explore satellite behavior, debris risks, and suggest retrofitting probes for better detection of space discharges.
43 Articles
43 Articles
A strange bright burst in space baffled astronomers for more than a year. Now, they’ve solved the mystery
CSIRO’s ASKAP radio telescope on Wajarri Country. © Alex Cherney/CSIROAround midday on June 13 last year, my colleagues and I were scanning the skies when we thought we had discovered a strange and exciting new object in space. Using a huge radio telescope, we spotted a blindingly fast flash of radio waves that appeared to be coming from somewhere inside our galaxy. After a year of research and analysis, we have finally pinned down the source of…
Scientists are trying to solve a decade-old mystery involving radio waves believed to have passed through the ice in Antarctica. The signals should have been absorbed by the bedrock but seem to defy the known laws of physics, CNN reports. “Sometimes you just have to go back to the drawing board and try to figure out what it is you’re seeing,” says physicist Stephanie Wissel.
Mysterious Radio Pulses Found in Antarctica Seem to Defy Physics, and Researchers Are Trying to Trace Their Origins
Strange signals detected by a NASA instrument more than a decade ago have continued to confound scientists, but a new paper rules out cosmic neutrinos as a source
Universe Today
Knowridge Science ReportA fast radio burst detected last year turned out to be from long-dead NASA satellite
A team of astronomers and astrophysicists affiliated with several institutions in Australia has found that a mysterious fast radio burst (FRB) detected last year originated not from a distant source, but from one circling the planet—a long-dead satellite. The team has posted a paper outlining their findings on the arXiv preprint server.
Live Science
MSNZombie NASA satellite emits powerful radio pulse after 60 years of silence
Last year, astronomers detected a powerful burst of radio waves from within our galaxy. Researchers now say it came from NASA's defunct Relay 2 satellite — but they're not sure what caused it.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 50% of the sources are Center
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
