West Virginia University astrophysicists spend a lot of time studying fast radio bursts. These brief flashes of radio light last only milliseconds and were discovered in 2007 by astrophysicists in the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences. More than 100 fast radio bursts have been detected from various positions in space, some of which originate in distant galaxies.
Reshma Anna-Thomas is a graduate research assistant in Physics and Astronomy. She grew up in the Indian state of Kerala and obtained a master’s degree in integrated physics from Pondicherry University before moving to West Virginia. She’s now in the fifth year of her doctoral program.
Anna-Thomas came to WVU to pursue her passion — radio astronomy — and her attention has settled on FRBs.
“My study focuses on finding them using large radio telescopes like the Green Bank Telescope in Pocahontas County and the Very Large Array in New Mexico,” she said. “I also work on pinpointing their locations and determining their origins by studying the environment around them, which helps narrow down the possible sources of these enigmatic signals.”
FRBs likely come from highly magnetized neutron stars called magnetars, which sometimes emit strong radio flares.
“In the blink of an eye, they release as much energy as our sun emits over weeks or even months,” Anna-Thomas said. “And they occur everywhere in the sky. But despite their power and ubiquitous nature, their origins are still unknown.”
Anna-Thomas works with Sarah Burke-Spolaor, an associate professor in the department, and is part of the realfast collaboration at the Very Large Array, where she continues the search for fast radio bursts.
She’s especially intrigued by the idea of studying something that happened in the past, when the universe was half the age it is now. The light waves detected at Green Bank traveled billions of years through space to reach the telescope where researchers see them as they arrive.
While her research deals with complex data and procedures, Anna-Thomas doesn’t find it difficult to explain her work to the average person.
“I’m studying the Universe,” she said. “Astronomy naturally sparks curiosity in almost everyone. While the methodologies and the physics behind it might be technical, the questions we ask and the answers we solve are quite easy to grasp.”
Over time, and with the guidance of her academic advisors, Anna-Thomas has learned to be an independent researcher, and the importance and practice of formulating research questions, thinking critically and developing solutions has prepared her for the next stage of her career. As a postdoctoral student, she’ll be moving to the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy to continue studying fast radio bursts.
Anna-Thomas is grateful for her family’s support along every step of her education, and as she continues her work, she said she hopes to inspire awareness among underprivileged people — especially women — about the importance of education and financial independence. The next stage of her journey will take her far from WVU, where the contrast between her hard work and the state’s abundant outdoor experiences has offered a welcome respite.
“My favorite thing about living in West Virginia is the beautiful nature,” she said. “The quiet and peaceful outdoors are very helpful for winding down after a long day.”
