CRACO: Technology that revolutionizes the detection of cosmic phenomena

A new radio scanning technology of cosmic space, called CRACO, developed by Australian researchers and engineers, has detected more than 20 fast radio bursts (FRBs), opening up revolutionary perspectives for international astronomy. The project was carried out in collaboration with the Australian National Science Foundation (CSIRO), and the technology was installed on the CSIRO's ASKAP radio telescope, reports DPA.

• What is Cochlea-based Radio Astronomy Computing?

CRACO (Cochlea-based Radio Astronomy Computing) is a system composed of a series of computers and data accelerators that rapidly analyze the sky to detect FRBs and other rare cosmic phenomena. This technology allows scanning 100 billion pixels per second, which facilitates the rapid and precise identification of the location of the emissions. FRBs are extremely short-lived radio signals (milliseconds) that originate from vast cosmic distances, and their origin remains a mystery. Some theories suggest they could be caused by neutron stars, black holes, or other exotic processes in the universe.

• Initial findings

In the first test of CRACO, researchers identified: Two FRB phenomena; Two neutron stars with sporadic emissions; More than 20 FRBs in later observation phases.

Remarkable performance. Dr. Andy Wang, coordinator of the research team at the International Center for Radio Astronomy in Western Australia, said: "CRACO allows us to find these emissions much more easily than before. We are currently searching for signals 100 times per second, and in the future we will reach a rate of 1,000 times per second." Dr. Keith Bannister, one of the engineers who helped develop CRACO, explained: "This technology processes an enormous amount of data, equivalent to analyzing an entire beach of sand to find a single 5-cent coin every minute."

• Importance of the new technology

CRACO represents a paradigm shift for international astronomy, accelerating the ability to detect and understand FRBs and other cosmic phenomena. In the future, the technology could help: Elucidate the origin of FRBs;

Discover new cosmic phenomena; Improve modeling of the universe by better understanding space-time dynamics. As CRACO reaches full capacity, its impact on space research will fundamentally transform the way we look at the universe.