The Einstein Probe has made a significant breakthrough in astrophysics by detecting a unique burst of X-rays, less than three months after its launch. This discovery offers new insights into the enigmatic phenomena known as gamma-ray bursts, which are among the most powerful explosions in the universe.
On March 15, 2024, the spacecraft's Wide-field X-ray Telescope (WXT) identified a burst of low-energy X-rays, referred to as 'soft' X-rays, which lasted over 17 minutes. This event, classified as a fast X-ray transient (FXRT) and designated EP240315a, exhibited fluctuations in brightness before gradually fading.
Yuan Liu from the National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences, who designed the onboard software trigger for the WXT, expressed his excitement about the successful detection. He noted, 'It was really good to see the algorithm working fine for this event.'
This finding could prompt a reevaluation of current models explaining gamma-ray bursts, highlighting the potential of the Einstein Probe to enhance our understanding of cosmic events.