Multi-messenger astronomy
Observational astronomy technique / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Multi-messenger astronomy is astronomy based on the coordinated observation and interpretation of signals carried by disparate "messengers": electromagnetic radiation, gravitational waves, neutrinos, and cosmic rays. They are created by different astrophysical processes, and thus reveal different information about their sources.
The main multi-messenger sources outside the heliosphere 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.[1][2][3] The table below lists several types of events and expected messengers.
Detection from one messenger and non-detection from a different messenger can also be informative.[4]
Event type | Electromagnetic | Cosmic rays | Gravitational waves | Neutrinos | Example |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Solar flare | yes | yes | - | - | SOL1942-02-28[5][failed verification] |
Supernova | yes | - | predicted[6] | yes | SN 1987A |
Neutron star merger | yes | - | yes | predicted[7] | GW170817 |
Blazar | yes | possible | - | yes | TXS 0506+056 (IceCube) |
Active galactic nucleus | yes | possible | yes | Messier 77[8][9] (IceCube) | |
Tidal disruption event | yes | possible | possible | yes | AT2019dsg[10] (IceCube)
AT2019fdr[11] (IceCube) |