We are familiar with multi-messaging in our normal lives. It means receiving messages, or information, through our senses. We can see the flash of a firework, hear the bang, maybe smell the combustion products. When it comes to astronomy, we are limited, at least initially, to one sense – that of receiving information over great distances, meaning sight. However, we have already augmented sight by mechanical means. Since Galileo first pointed his telescope at the larger moons of Jupiter, a whole new world has opened up. Over four hundred years later, we are now able to extend our senses in other means – more than simply augmenting our vision.
Events we may wish to study also send us messages in “other languages” – different wavelengths or other means of crossing great distances of intervening space. What if we could combine these messages, just as we combine messages in our normal lives to appreciate the multi-layered experience of a firework?
Astronomy The Age of multi-messenger astronomy by Arwen Rimmer June 2021
“Multi-messenger astronomy is the practice of synthesizing these various messengers from violent astronomical events . . . . . . . . . Exciting theories abound as to what kinds of exotic objects are sending out these cosmic messengers; superstrings; dark matter; and even ‘defects’ in the structure of the universe”? “The ultimate goal is to witness an event with all the messengers . . . “.
“The power of these combined messengers comes from the fact that each one is generated by one of the four forces of nature; photons by the electromagnetic force, gravitational waves by gravity, cosmic waves by the strong nuclear force, and neutrinos by the weak nuclear force.”
Wikipedia Multi-messenger astronomy Current 4th June 2021.
“The main multi-messenger sources . . . . . . are expected to be compact binary pairs (black holes and neutron stars), supernovae, irregular neutron stars, gamma-ray bursts, active galactic nuclei, and relativistic jets.”
In more mundane terms, multi-messaging will allow us to “smell and taste” the Universe, instead of just watching it through our telescopes.
Astronomy Quick takes: making waves February 2021
In late October, the LIGO and Virgo observatories announced the discovery of 39 gravitational wave signals caused by binary black hole or neutron star collisions. The signals, receive between April and October 2019, add to 11 previous detections.
Astronomy Source of fast radio bursts revealed February 2021
"After more than a decade of detective work, astronomers have found the best evidence yet for the cause of fast radio bursts, or FRBs. The culprit? Magnetars, according to 3 papers published in Nature November 4"
The first FRB observed in our home galaxy was in late April 2020 - also the first FRB associated with a single object. "This discovery (suggests that) some - and perhaps most - of these fast radio bursts from other galaxies also originate from magnetars."
Last addition 8th June 2021 11.15 BST.
Events we may wish to study also send us messages in “other languages” – different wavelengths or other means of crossing great distances of intervening space. What if we could combine these messages, just as we combine messages in our normal lives to appreciate the multi-layered experience of a firework?
Astronomy The Age of multi-messenger astronomy by Arwen Rimmer June 2021
“Multi-messenger astronomy is the practice of synthesizing these various messengers from violent astronomical events . . . . . . . . . Exciting theories abound as to what kinds of exotic objects are sending out these cosmic messengers; superstrings; dark matter; and even ‘defects’ in the structure of the universe”? “The ultimate goal is to witness an event with all the messengers . . . “.
“The power of these combined messengers comes from the fact that each one is generated by one of the four forces of nature; photons by the electromagnetic force, gravitational waves by gravity, cosmic waves by the strong nuclear force, and neutrinos by the weak nuclear force.”
Wikipedia Multi-messenger astronomy Current 4th June 2021.
“The main multi-messenger sources . . . . . . are expected to be compact binary pairs (black holes and neutron stars), supernovae, irregular neutron stars, gamma-ray bursts, active galactic nuclei, and relativistic jets.”
In more mundane terms, multi-messaging will allow us to “smell and taste” the Universe, instead of just watching it through our telescopes.
Astronomy Quick takes: making waves February 2021
In late October, the LIGO and Virgo observatories announced the discovery of 39 gravitational wave signals caused by binary black hole or neutron star collisions. The signals, receive between April and October 2019, add to 11 previous detections.
Astronomy Source of fast radio bursts revealed February 2021
"After more than a decade of detective work, astronomers have found the best evidence yet for the cause of fast radio bursts, or FRBs. The culprit? Magnetars, according to 3 papers published in Nature November 4"
The first FRB observed in our home galaxy was in late April 2020 - also the first FRB associated with a single object. "This discovery (suggests that) some - and perhaps most - of these fast radio bursts from other galaxies also originate from magnetars."
Last addition 8th June 2021 11.15 BST.
Last edited:
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