Astrophysics: Rare phenomenon of giant magnetar flare observed | Nature | Nature Portfolio

This week, a paper reports that a giant flare has been observed from a magnetar (strongly magnetized neutron star) inside one of the nearby galaxies, M82.NaturePublished in This finding is based on analysis of what are known as gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), and could provide insight into the frequency of rare explosive phenomena known as giant magnetar flares.

A giant flare is a short-lived explosive phenomenon that releases an extremely large amount of energy as GRB. Giant flares generated by magnetars inside the Milky Way Galaxy and the nearby Large Magellanic Cloud have only been observed three times in about 50 years. Giant flares that occur in more distant magnetars are difficult to observe because it is difficult to pinpoint the source of the high-energy burst that is far away.

In this study, Sandro Mereghetti and his colleagues discovered that a burst (named GRB 231115A) that occurred at the center of a starburst galaxy called M82 (a galaxy in which a large number of stars are formed in a short period of time) approximately 12 million light-years away was detected by Integra. It has been reported that it was observed using a highly sensitive observation instrument aboard the INTEGRAL satellite. Based on the spectral and timing characteristics of GRB 231115A, the results of X-ray and optical observations several hours after the event, and the lack of detected gravitational wave signals, Mereghetti et al. The view is that this was the result of. The authors conclude that starburst galaxies like M82, which are known to produce magnetars, may be promising targets for studying giant flares.

doi:10.1038/s41586-024-07285-4

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