CHIME Outrigger Network Pinpoints Record Breaking Fast Radio Burst and Unexpected Infrared Signal in Nearby Galaxy

Astronomers use the CHIME Outrigger array and JWST to locate the record-breaking RBFLOAT radio burst, challenging theories on how these cosmic flashes form.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 16, 2026, 4:29 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from University of Toronto

A Milestone in Cosmic Radio Detection

An international collaboration led by researchers from the University of Toronto has successfully identified the source of the most intense fast radio burst (FRB) ever observed. This transient flash, designated FRB 20250316A and colloquially termed RBFLOAT, represents a significant breakthrough in the effort to map the origins of high energy cosmic phenomena. While these powerful bursts of radio energy have puzzled the scientific community since their discovery, the ability to pinpoint this event with extreme accuracy marks a transition from simple detection to detailed environmental analysis. The findings suggest that such bursts, though fleeting, are capable of briefly outshining all other radio sources within their host galaxies.

Precision Mapping via the Outrigger Array

The successful localization of the signal was made possible by the Canadian Hydrogen-Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) and its newly integrated Outrigger array. By coordinating data from smaller telescope sites across British Columbia, Northern California, and West Virginia, astronomers employed Very Long Baseline Interferometry to triangulate the signal's origin. Doctoral student Mattias Lazda noted that the team overcame significant logistical hurdles, including a timely power outage at one site that paradoxically helped refine the sky position data. This synchronized network allowed the team to narrow the source down to a specific 45 light-year region, an achievement of precision comparable to identifying a small object from a distance of 1,000 kilometers.

Exploring the Stellar Neighborhood of NGC 4141

RBFLOAT originated approximately 130 million light-years away within the outer reaches of the galaxy NGC 4141, located in the Ursa Major constellation. Because this event occurred relatively close to Earth in cosmic terms, it provided an unprecedented opportunity for high-resolution study. Associate Professor Kiyoshi Masui explained that the proximity of this burst allows for the examination of a "normal" FRB in exquisite detail. The event lasted only one-fifth of a second, yet its immense brightness enabled researchers to mobilize follow-up observations across multiple platforms immediately after the initial Sunday afternoon detection.