A link between repeating and non-repeating fast radio bursts through their energy distributions
Abstract
Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are extremely energetic, millisecond-duration radio flashes that reach Earth from extragalactic distances. Broadly speaking, FRBs can be classified as repeating or (apparently) non-repeating. It is still unclear, however, whether the two types share a common physical origin and differ only in their activity rate. Here we report on an observing campaign that targeted one hyperactive repeating source, FRB 20201124A, for more than 2,000 h using four 25-32 m class radio telescopes. We detected 46 high-energy bursts, many more than one would expect given previous observations of lower-energy bursts using larger radio telescopes. We find a high-energy burst distribution that resembles that of the non-repeating FRB population, suggesting that apparently non-repeating FRB sources may simply be the rarest bursts from repeating sources. Also, we discuss how FRB 20201124A contributes strongly to the all-sky FRB rate and how similar sources would be observable even at very high redshift.
- Publication:
-
Nature Astronomy
- Pub Date:
- March 2024
- DOI:
- 10.1038/s41550-023-02153-z
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2306.15505
- Bibcode:
- 2024NatAs...8..337K
- Keywords:
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- Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
- E-Print:
- 25 pages, 9 figures. Submitted, comments welcome