Time Domain Astronomy: Insights into Variable and Transient Sources

Time Domain Astronomy (TDA) is a flourishing field that focuses on the study of astronomical sources exhibiting variability over observable timescales. Unlike phenomena such as stellar evolution or galaxy mergers, which occur over astronomical timescales, TDA is concerned with sources and events that change on much shorter timescales. These include variable stars, pulsars, quasars, and transient events like Gamma-Ray Bursts, Fast Radio Bursts, supernovae explosions, and tidal disruption events. Additionally, TDA encompasses stellar activities such as oscillations (including pulsations) which are probed through asteroseismology to gain new insights into stellar structure and evolution.

Despite significant advancements, thanks to wide-field time-domain astronomical surveys over the past two decades, there remain gaps in our understanding of the underlying physical processes driving these variabilities and transients. Recent studies have made strides in analyzing light curves to extract physical properties of these sources, yet the field still requires more comprehensive investigations to fully understand the physics behind these phenomena. Furthermore, the plethora of time-domain data have also posed challenges for proper classification of transient and variable sources and identification of peculiar yet potentially interesting objects.

This research topic aims to delve deeper into the physics of observed variability and transience in astronomical sources. By focusing on the analysis of time-domain data, the goal is to uncover the physical properties of these sources, study their environments, and understand the processes that govern their evolution. Specific questions to be addressed include: What are the mechanisms driving the variability in periodic sources? How do transient events like supernovae and Gamma-Ray Bursts evolve over time? What can light curve analysis reveal about the physical conditions of these sources? Answering these and interrelated questions requires a range of approaches and testing hypotheses using, among the others, advanced techniques in statistical analysis, time series modeling, and light curve simulations.

To gather further insights in the field of Time Domain Astronomy, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:

• Physics of periodic sources, such as variable stars, pulsars, and quasars

• Physics of transients such as supernovae, Gamma-Ray Bursts, Fast Radio Bursts, and cataclysmic events

• Study of solar and stellar variability

• Use of variable and transient sources as standard candles

• Automated identification and classification of transients and variable stars

• Discussion on the different methods to analyze light curves

• Development and application of new techniques in time series modelling

• Comparative studies of different types of variable and transient sources

• Case studies of specific astronomical events observed in the time domain.


The Editors welcome all manuscript types accepted by Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences, including shorter papers like Brief Research Report, Mini Review and Perspective.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Technology and Code

Keywords: transients, variables, light curve analysis, blazars, gamma ray bursts, fast radio bursts, supernovae, tidal disruption

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.