scholarly journals The capability of the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder to detect prompt radio bursts from neutron star mergers

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ziteng Wang ◽  
Tara Murphy ◽  
David L. Kaplan ◽  
Keith W. Bannister ◽  
Dougal Dobie
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Radio Emission ◽  
Theoretical Models ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
Radio Bursts ◽  
Square Kilometre Array ◽  
Physical Conditions ◽  
Credible Region ◽  
Fast Radio Burst ◽  
Prompt Emission

Abstract We discuss observational strategies to detect prompt bursts associated with gravitational wave (GW) events using the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP). Many theoretical models of binary neutron stars mergers predict that bright, prompt radio emission would accompany the merger. The detection of such prompt emission would greatly improve our knowledge of the physical conditions, environment, and location of the merger. However, searches for prompt emission are complicated by the relatively poor localisation for GW events, with the 90% credible region reaching hundreds or even thousands of square degrees. Operating in fly’s eye mode, the ASKAP field of view can reach $\sim1\,000$ deg $^2$ at $\sim$ $888\,{\rm MHz}$ . This potentially allows observers to cover most of the 90% credible region quickly enough to detect prompt emission. We use skymaps for GW170817 and GW190814 from LIGO/Virgo’s third observing run to simulate the probability of detecting prompt emission for GW events in the upcoming fourth observing run. With only alerts released after merger, we find it difficult to slew the telescope sufficiently quickly as to capture any prompt emission. However, with the addition of alerts released before merger by negative-latency pipelines, we find that it should be possible to search for nearby, bright prompt fast radio burst-like emission from GW events. Nonetheless, the rates are low: we would expect to observe $\sim$ 0.012 events during the fourth observing run, assuming that the prompt emission is emitted microseconds around the merger.

scholarly journals A unified picture of Galactic and cosmological fast radio bursts

2020 ◽  
Vol 498 (1) ◽  
pp. 1397-1405 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wenbin Lu ◽  
Pawan Kumar ◽  
Bing Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Magnetic Field ◽  
Neutron Star ◽  
Radio Emission ◽  
Light Curve ◽  
Flux Ratio ◽  
Radio Bursts ◽  
X Ray ◽  
Volumetric Rate ◽  
Fast Radio Burst ◽  
Magnetic Disturbances

ABSTRACT The discovery of a fast radio burst (FRB) in our Galaxy associated with a magnetar (neutron star with strong magnetic field) has provided a critical piece of information to help us finally understand these enigmatic transients. We show that the volumetric rate of Galactic-FRB like events is consistent with the faint end of the cosmological FRB rate, and hence they most likely belong to the same class of transients. The Galactic FRB had an accompanying X-ray burst, but many X-ray bursts from the same object had no radio counterpart. Their relative rates suggest that for every FRB there are roughly 102–103 X-ray bursts. The radio light curve of the Galactic FRB had two spikes, separated by 30 ms in the 400–800 MHz frequency band. This is an important clue and highly constraining of the class of models where the radio emission is produced outside the light cylinder of the magnetar. We suggest that magnetic disturbances close to the magnetar surface propagate to a distance of a few tens of neutron star radii where they damp and produce radio emission. The coincident hard X-ray spikes associated with the two FRB pulses seen in this burst and the flux ratio between the two frequency bands can be understood in this scenario. This model provides a unified picture for faint bursts like the Galactic FRB as well as the bright events seen at cosmological distances.

scholarly journals A search for fast-radio-burst-like emission from Fermi gamma-ray bursts

2020 ◽  
Vol 497 (1) ◽  
pp. 125-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mieke Bouwhuis ◽  
Keith W Bannister ◽  
Jean-Pierre Macquart ◽  
R M Shannon ◽  
David L Kaplan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radio Emission ◽  
Radio Burst ◽  
Gamma Ray ◽  
Gamma Ray Bursts ◽  
Dispersion Measure ◽  
Radio Bursts ◽  
Square Kilometre Array ◽  
Fast Radio Burst ◽  
Short Grbs

ABSTRACT We report the results of the rapid follow-up observations of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) detected by the Fermi satellite to search for associated fast radio bursts. The observations were conducted with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder at frequencies from 1.2 to 1.4 GHz. A set of 20 bursts, of which four were short GRBs, were followed up with a typical latency of about 1 min, for a duration of up to 11 h after the burst. The data were searched using 4096 dispersion measure trials up to a maximum dispersion measure of 3763 pc cm−3, and for pulse widths w over a range of duration from 1.256 to 40.48 ms. No associated pulsed radio emission was observed above $26 \, {\rm Jy\, ms}\, (w/1\, {\rm ms})^{-1/2}$ for any of the 20 GRBs.

scholarly journals Strategies for Finding Prompt Radio Counterparts to Gravitational Wave Transients with the Murchison Widefield Array

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. L. Kaplan ◽  
T. Murphy ◽  
A. Rowlinson ◽  
S. D. Croft ◽  
R. B. Wayth ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Radio Emission ◽  
Gravitational Wave ◽  
Radio Signal ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
Optimal Conditions ◽  
Murchison Widefield Array ◽  
Complicated Geometry ◽  
Prompt Emission

AbstractWepresent and evaluate several strategies to search for prompt, low-frequency radio emission associated with gravitational wave transients using the Murchison Widefield Array. As we are able to repoint the Murchison Widefield Array on timescales of tens of seconds, we can search for the dispersed radio signal that has been predicted to originate along with or shortly after a neutron star-neutron star merger. We find that given the large, 600 deg2 instantaneous field of view of the Murchison Widefield Array, we can cover a significant fraction of the predicted gravitational wave error region, although due to the complicated geometry of the latter, we only cover > 50% of the error region for approximately 5% of events, and roughly 15% of events will be located < 10° from the Murchison Widefield Array pointing centre such that they will be covered in the radio images. For optimal conditions, our limiting flux density for a 10-s long transient would be 0.1 Jy, increasing to about 1 Jy for a wider range of events. This corresponds to luminosity limits of 1038−39 erg s−1 based on expectations for the distances of the gravitational wave transients, which should be sufficient to detect or significantly constrain a range of models for prompt emission.

Radio Transients in the Era of Multi-Messenger Astrophysics

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (S339) ◽  
pp. 207-214
Author(s):  
G. E. Anderson ◽  
B. W. Stappers ◽  
I. Andreoni ◽  
M. Caleb ◽  
D. Coppejans ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radio Emission ◽  
Cataclysmic Variable ◽  
Radio Bursts ◽  
Tidal Disruption ◽  
Square Kilometre Array ◽  
Long Baseline ◽  
Science Question ◽  
Radio Transients ◽  
Detailed Imaging ◽  
Observing Techniques

AbstractRadio emission from astrophysical transients allows us to derive calorimetry of kinetic feedback and detailed imaging in ways that are not possible at other wavelengths, and as such it forms an important part of the multi-messenger follow-ups of these events. The field is burgeoning, with a renaissance of interest in accretion, stellar explosions and jetted supernovæ, alongside newer classes of phenomena such as fast radio bursts and tidal disruption events. The purpose of this workshop was to discuss the infrastructure and techniques for detecting, identifying and probing radio transients, with a particular focus on how best to exploit transient alerts from multi-messenger facilities. We examined the type of transient alerts those facilities will broadcast, and methods for following them up, such as rapid-response triggering and shadowing. In break-out groups, participants chose a science question related to a particular radio transient type or class and discussed whether the planned transient strategies and observing techniques on the Square Kilometre Array will be adequate to address the particular question. The classes they chose included fast radio bursts, supernovæ, cataclysmic variable and unknown transients. Any proposed adaptation or suggestion was relayed to a panel of experts for further discussion. The second part of the workshop concentrated on the application of long baseline interferometry for detecting and measuring radio transients.

scholarly journals The Northern Cross fast radio burst project – I. Overview and pilot observations at 408 MHz

2020 ◽  
Vol 494 (1) ◽  
pp. 1229-1236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola T Locatelli ◽  
Gianni Bernardi ◽  
Germano Bianchi ◽  
Riccardo Chiello ◽  
Alessio Magro ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radio Burst ◽  
System Performance ◽  
Field Of View ◽  
High Dispersion ◽  
Dispersion Measure ◽  
Radio Bursts ◽  
Radio Telescopes ◽  
Present Test ◽  
New Radio ◽  
Fast Radio Burst

ABSTRACT Fast radio bursts (FRBs) remain one of the most enigmatic astrophysical sources. Observations have significantly progressed over the last few years, due to the capabilities of new radio telescopes and the refurbishment of existing ones. Here, we describe the upgrade of the Northern Cross radio telescope, operating in the 400–416 MHz frequency band, with the ultimate goal of turning the array into a dedicated instrument to survey the sky for FRBs. We present test observations of the pulsar B0329+54 to characterize the system performance and forecast detectability. Observations with the system currently in place are still limited by modest sky coverage (∼9.4 deg2) and biased by smearing of high dispersion measure events within each frequency channels. In its final, upgraded configuration, however, the telescope will be able to carry out unbiased FRB surveys over a ∼350 deg2 instantaneous field of view up to z ∼ 5, with a (nearly constant) $\sim 760 \, (\tau /{\rm ms})^{-0.5}$ mJy rms sensitivity.

scholarly journals Sub-second periodicity in a fast radio burst

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bridget C. Andersen ◽  
Kevin Bandura ◽  
Mohit Bhardwaj ◽  
P. J. Boyle ◽  
Charanjot Brar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Binary System ◽  
Radio Burst ◽  
Radio Bursts ◽  
Radio Waves ◽  
Pulse Profile ◽  
Intensity Mapping ◽  
Giant Pulses ◽  
Component Pulse ◽  
Fast Radio Burst

Abstract The origin of fast radio bursts (FRBs), millisecond-duration flashes of radio waves that are visible at distances of billions of light-years, remains an open astrophysical question. Here we report the detection of the multi-component FRB 20191221A with the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment Fast Radio Burst Project (CHIME/FRB), and the identification of a periodic separation of 216.8(1) ms between its components with a significance of 6.5 sigmas. The long (~ 3 s) duration and nine or more components forming the pulse profile make this source an outlier in the FRB population. We also report two additional FRBs, 20210206A and 20210213A, whose multi-component pulse profiles show some indication of periodic separations of 2.8(1) and 10.7(1) ms, respectively, suggesting the possible existence of a group of FRBs with complex and periodic pulse profiles. Such short periodicities provide strong evidence for a neutron-star origin of these events. Moreover, our detections favour emission arising from the neutron-star magnetosphere, as opposed to emission regions located further away from the star, as predicted by some models. Possible explanations for the observed periodicity include super-giant pulses from a neutron star that are possibly related to a magnetar outburst and interacting neutron stars in a binary system.

scholarly journals A circular polarization survey for radio stars with the Australian SKA Pathfinder

2021 ◽  
Vol 502 (4) ◽  
pp. 5438-5454
Author(s):  
Joshua Pritchard ◽  
Tara Murphy ◽  
Andrew Zic ◽  
Christene Lynch ◽  
George Heald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radio Emission ◽  
Brightness Temperature ◽  
Circular Polarization ◽  
Flux Density ◽  
Wide Band ◽  
M Dwarfs ◽  
Square Kilometre Array ◽  
Population Statistics ◽  
Chemically Peculiar ◽  
Radio Stars

ABSTRACT We present results from a circular polarization survey for radio stars in the Rapid ASKAP Continuum Survey (RACS). RACS is a survey of the entire sky south of δ = +41○ being conducted with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder telescope (ASKAP) over a 288 MHz wide band centred on 887.5 MHz. The data we analyse include Stokes I and V polarization products to an RMS sensitivity of 250 μJy PSF−1. We searched RACS for sources with fractional circular polarization above 6 per cent, and after excluding imaging artefacts, polarization leakage, and known pulsars we identified radio emission coincident with 33 known stars. These range from M-dwarfs through to magnetic, chemically peculiar A- and B-type stars. Some of these are well-known radio stars such as YZ CMi and CU Vir, but 23 have no previous radio detections. We report the flux density and derived brightness temperature of these detections and discuss the nature of the radio emission. We also discuss the implications of our results for the population statistics of radio stars in the context of future ASKAP and Square Kilometre Array surveys.

scholarly journals Millisecond Pulsars

1989 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
pp. 161-165
Author(s):  
J.H. Krolik
Keyword(s):  
Neutron Star ◽  
Stellar Evolution ◽  
Close Binary ◽  
Millisecond Pulsar ◽  
Millisecond Pulsars ◽  
Physical Conditions ◽  
Cast Doubt ◽  
Standard Picture ◽  
The Universe ◽  
New System

AbstractMillisecond pulsars are intrinsically interesting because they illustrate some of the most extreme physical conditions to be found anywhere in the Universe, and because their evolution exhibits several stages of great drama. It had been widely believed for several years that spin-up of an old neutron star by accretion from a close stellar companion explained their fast rotation, but the absence of companions in several cases cast doubt on that picture. This spring a millisecond pulsar in a close binary was discovered in which the companion appears to be evaporating, thus reconciling the existence of lone millisecond pulsars with the standard picture. Ongoing observations of this new system, and complementary calculations, promise to answer many of the questions remaining about this dramatic phase in stellar evolution.

scholarly journals Multiwavelength Observations of Fast Radio Bursts

Universe ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 76
Author(s):  
Luciano Nicastro ◽  
Cristiano Guidorzi ◽  
Eliana Palazzi ◽  
Luca Zampieri ◽  
Massimo Turatto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Radio Burst ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Medium Size ◽  
Radio Bursts ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Key Points ◽  
Fast Radio Burst ◽  
Theoretical Results ◽  
Observational Strategy ◽  
Shed Light

The origin and phenomenology of the Fast Radio Burst (FRB) remains unknown despite more than a decade of efforts. Though several models have been proposed to explain the observed data, none is able to explain alone the variety of events so far recorded. The leading models consider magnetars as potential FRB sources. The recent detection of FRBs from the galactic magnetar SGR J1935+2154 seems to support them. Still, emission duration and energetic budget challenge all these models. Like for other classes of objects initially detected in a single band, it appeared clear that any solution to the FRB enigma could only come from a coordinated observational and theoretical effort in an as wide as possible energy band. In particular, the detection and localisation of optical/NIR or/and high-energy counterparts seemed an unavoidable starting point that could shed light on the FRB physics. Multiwavelength (MWL) search campaigns were conducted for several FRBs, in particular for repeaters. Here we summarize the observational and theoretical results and the perspectives in view of the several new sources accurately localised that will likely be identified by various radio facilities worldwide. We conclude that more dedicated MWL campaigns sensitive to the millisecond–minute timescale transients are needed to address the various aspects involved in the identification of FRB counterparts. Dedicated instrumentation could be one of the key points in this respect. In the optical/NIR band, fast photometry looks to be the only viable strategy. Additionally, small/medium size radiotelescopes co-pointing higher energies telescopes look a very interesting and cheap complementary observational strategy.

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