They were discovered by chance using data from the Gaia space observatory’s collection of nearly two billion stars in our galaxy.
Starquakes, which are similar to earthquakes on Earth, has been discovered by scientists.
Starquakes, also known as non-radial oscillations, are powerful tsunami-like movements on stars’ crusts that change the shape of the star.
They were discovered using data from nearly two billion stars in our galaxy collected by the Gaia space observatory, which was not designed to detect these motions on the surface of stars.
“Gaia previously discovered radial oscillations, which cause stars to swell and shrink regularly while maintaining their spherical shape. However, Gaia has recently detected other vibrations that resemble large-scale tsunamis “according to the European Space Agency (ESA).
Starquakes were detected in thousands of stars, as well as vibrations in stars that should not have quakes according to current theories.
“Starquakes reveal a lot about stars, particularly their internal workings. Gaia is creating a goldmine for massive star ‘asteroseismology.’ “Conny Aerts of the KU Leuven in Belgium, a member of the Gaia collaboration, agreed.
Gaia, operated by the European Space Agency, orbits Earth at a distance of about 1.5 million kilometers, carrying two telescopes designed to create a precise three-dimensional map of the Milky Way.
This “DNA map” is a multi-dimensional catalog of asteroids, planets, stars, and galaxies that has yielded numerous discoveries through successive data releases.
According to ESA, the data includes “chemical compositions, stellar temperatures, colors, masses, ages, and the speed at which stars move towards or away from us.
Dr. Nicholas Walton, one of the project’s scientists from the University of Cambridge’s Institute of Astronomy, stated: “This significant data release from Gaia not only allows astronomers to map the distances and motions of approximately two billion stars in our galaxy, but it also provides detailed measurements of the physical and chemical composition of a large number of those objects for the first time.
“We can now build a comprehensive picture of the Milky Way and delve into its incredible history of formation, seeing direct evidence of both violent past interactions with other galaxies and internal bouts of intense star formation along its spiral arms.
“This new data release creates a detailed bank of information, essentially functioning as a DNA map that allows us to understand our galaxy’s stellar population and track its past, present, and future,” Dr. Walton added.
