Consider the following statements with reference to the Astronomical t...
Recently, the Indian-American astronomer Shrinivas Kulkarni was awarded the Shaw Prize for Astronomy in 2024 for his work on the physics of astronomical transients.
- In astronomy, a ‘transient’ is any celestial object whose brightness changes in short spans of time.
- There are many kinds of astronomical transients, all of them united by phenomena that are violent in some measure.
- Astronomers study transients to understand where their violence comes from and what that can tell us about non-transient event.
- Examples of transients
- Supernovae: When the outer layers of large stars blow up while their cores implode because the stars have run out of elements to fuse. Many a supernova has been known to become so bright that it emits light more intensely than the stars in the rest of its host galaxy combined.
- Active Galactic nucleus (AGN): The centres of massive galaxies host supermassive black holes. Sometimes, these black holes actively feast on matter in their orbit. Interactions between the black holes and the matter in this process cause the latter to acquire energy and glow with a changing brightness.
- Fast Radio Burst (FRB): It was discovered in 2007 and it can emit more than 10-times as much energy as the Sun in a few milliseconds.
Hence both statements are correct.
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Consider the following statements with reference to the Astronomical t...
Explanation:
Astronomical Transients:
Astronomical transients refer to celestial objects or events whose brightness changes rapidly or unpredictably over short periods of time. These events can include supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, and other phenomena that exhibit sudden changes in brightness.
Statement Analysis:
1. Correct: The statement that astronomical transients are phenomena in celestial objects whose brightness changes in short spans of time is accurate. These transient events can be observed across various wavelengths, from visible light to radio waves.
2. Correct: The statement that astronomical transients can be seen when Fast Radio Burst occurs is also true. Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are intense bursts of radio waves that last for just a few milliseconds and are believed to originate from distant galaxies. These bursts are considered as a type of astronomical transient.
Conclusion:
Both statements are correct as they accurately describe astronomical transients and their association with events like Fast Radio Bursts. These transient events play a crucial role in helping astronomers better understand the dynamic and ever-changing nature of the universe.