天文學家發現重複宇宙無線電訊號的起源
Astronomers uncover origins of repeating cosmic radio signals
Updated at: June 3, 2026 at 12:00 PM
在深邃的宇宙中，天文學家長期以來一直對快速電波爆發(FRBs)感到困惑——這些持續時間僅有幾毫秒，卻蘊含了等同於太陽能量的強烈電波瞬間脈衝。
Deep in the cosmos, astronomers have long been baffled by Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs)—brief, intense flashes of radio waves lasting only milliseconds but packing the energy of the Sun.
然而，重複訊號的發現從根本上重塑了我們對宇宙的認識。
However, the discovery of repeating signals has fundamentally reshaped our understanding of the universe.
這項研究的前沿是加拿大氫強度測繪實驗(CHIME)。
At the forefront of this research is the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME).
這座位於卑詩省的獨特望遠鏡，每天掃描北方天空，辨識出數十個新的重複訊號源。
This unique telescope, located in British Columbia, scans the northern sky daily, identifying dozens of new repeating sources.
相反地，證據指向磁星(magnetars)——即擁有極強磁場的超緻密中子星。
Instead, the evidence points toward magnetars—ultra-dense neutron stars with immense magnetic fields.
除了解開天文謎團外，這些脈衝還擔當了星際探測器的角色，在穿越數十億光年抵達地球的旅程中，蒐集了關於宇宙氣體的數據。
Beyond solving a celestial mystery, these bursts serve as intergalactic probes, gathering data on cosmic gas as they travel billions of light-years to Earth.
儘管這些脈衝的確切觸發原因仍是密集研究的課題，但從偵測隨機脈衝轉向繪製可預測的週期，標誌著現代天體物理學的重大飛躍，揭示了一個比肉眼所見更加暴烈且充滿動態的宇宙。
While the exact trigger for these bursts remains a subject of intense study, the transition from detecting random 'blips' to mapping predictable cycles marks a major leap in modern astrophysics, revealing a far more violent and dynamic universe than meets the eye.
