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The physical mechanisms of fast radio bursts

Nature volume 587, pages 45–53 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

Fast radio bursts are mysterious millisecond-duration transients prevalent in the radio sky. Rapid accumulation of data in recent years has facilitated an understanding of the underlying physical mechanisms of these events. Knowledge gained from the neighbouring fields of gamma-ray bursts and radio pulsars has also offered insights. Here I review developments in this fast-moving field. Two generic categories of radiation model invoking either magnetospheres of compact objects (neutron stars or black holes) or relativistic shocks launched from such objects have been much debated. The recent detection of a Galactic fast radio burst in association with a soft gamma-ray repeater suggests that magnetar engines can produce at least some, and probably all, fast radio bursts. Other engines that could produce fast radio bursts are not required, but are also not impossible. 

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Fig. 1
Fig. 2: Cartoon pictures of the two general types of FRB radiation models.
Fig. 3: Two extreme versions of FRB source models.

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Data availability

The data that support the plots within this paper and other finding of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

I thank P. Kumar, W. Lu, J. I. Katz. Y.-P. Yang and Z.-G. Dai for comments.

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    Bing Zhang

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Zhang, B. The physical mechanisms of fast radio bursts. Nature 587, 45–53 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-020-2828-1

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