Fast radio bursts (FRBs), millisecond-duration bursts prevailing in the radio sky, are the latest large puzzle in the Universe and have been a subject of intense observational and theoretical investigations in recent years. The rapid accumulation of observational data has painted the following sketch about the physical origin of FRBs: They predominantly originate from cosmological distances, so their sources produce the most extreme coherent radio emission in the Universe; at least some, probably most, FRBs are repeating sources that do not invoke cataclysmic events; and at least some FRBs are produced by magnetars, neutron stars with the strongest magnetic fields in the Universe. Many open questions regarding the physical origin(s) and mechanism(s) of FRBs remain. This review addresses the phenomenology and possible underlying physics of FRBs. Topics include a summary of the observational data, basic plasma physics, general constraints on FRB models from the data, radiation mechanisms, source and environment models, and propagation effects, as well as FRBs as cosmological probes. Current pressing problems and future prospects are also discussed.

中文翻译：

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快速射电暴的物理学

快速射电暴（FRB）是射电天空中普遍存在的毫秒持续时间的爆发，是宇宙中最新的大谜团，并且近年来一直是大量观测和理论研究的主题。观测数据的快速积累为快速射电暴的物理起源描绘了以下草图：它们主要起源于宇宙学距离，因此它们的来源产生宇宙中最极端的相干射电发射；至少有一些（可能是大多数）快速射电暴是重复的，不会引发灾难性事件；至少有一些快速射电暴是由宇宙中磁场最强的磁星、中子星产生的。关于快速射电暴的物理起源和机制的许多悬而未决的问题仍然存在。这篇综述讨论了快速射电暴的现象学和可能的基础物理现象。主题包括观测数据总结、基本等离子体物理学、数据对快速射电暴模型的一般约束、辐射机制、源和环境模型以及传播效应，以及快速射电暴作为宇宙学探测器。还讨论了当前紧迫的问题和未来的前景。