A Nonrepeating Fast Radio Burst in a Dwarf Host Galaxy

Shivani Bhandari; Alexa C. Gordon; Danica R. Scott; Lachlan Marnoch; Navin Sridhar; Pravir Kumar; Clancy W. James; Hao Qiu; Keith W. Bannister; Adam T. Deller; Tarraneh Eftekhari; Wen-fai Fong; Marcin Glowacki; J. Xavier Prochaska; Stuart D. Ryder; Ryan M. Shannon; Sunil Simha

doi:10.3847/1538-4357/acc178

The Astrophysical Journal (Jan 2023)

A Nonrepeating Fast Radio Burst in a Dwarf Host Galaxy

Shivani Bhandari,
Alexa C. Gordon,
Danica R. Scott,
Lachlan Marnoch,
Navin Sridhar,
Pravir Kumar,
Clancy W. James,
Hao Qiu,
Keith W. Bannister,
Adam T. Deller,
Tarraneh Eftekhari,
Wen-fai Fong,
Marcin Glowacki,
J. Xavier Prochaska,
Stuart D. Ryder,
Ryan M. Shannon,
Sunil Simha

Affiliations

Shivani Bhandari: ORCiD; ASTRON, Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy , Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4, 7991 PD Dwingeloo, The Netherlands ; [email protected]; Joint institute for VLBI ERIC , Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4, 7991 PD Dwingeloo, The Netherlands; CSIRO , Space and Astronomy, P.O. Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710 Australia
Alexa C. Gordon: ORCiD; Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University , Evanston, IL 60208, USA
Danica R. Scott: ORCiD; International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), Curtin University , Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
Lachlan Marnoch: ORCiD; CSIRO , Space and Astronomy, P.O. Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710 Australia; School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Macquarie University , Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; Astronomy, Astrophysics and Astrophotonics Research Centre, Macquarie University , Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; ARC Centre of Excellence for All-Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D) , ACT 2601, Australia
Navin Sridhar: ORCiD; Department of Astronomy, Columbia University , New York, NY 10027, USA; Theoretical High Energy Astrophysics (THEA) Group, Columbia University , New York, NY 10027, USA
Pravir Kumar: ORCiD; Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology , John St, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia; Department of Particle Physics and Astrophysics, Weizmann Institute of Science , Rehovot 7610001, Israel
Clancy W. James: ORCiD; International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), Curtin University , Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
Hao Qiu: ORCiD; SKA Observatory, Jodrell Bank, Lower Withington , Macclesfield, SK11 9FT, UK
Keith W. Bannister: ORCiD; CSIRO , Space and Astronomy, P.O. Box 76, Epping, NSW 1710 Australia
Adam T. Deller: ORCiD; Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology , John St, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
Tarraneh Eftekhari: ORCiD; Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University , Evanston, IL 60208, USA
Wen-fai Fong: ORCiD; Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA) and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University , Evanston, IL 60208, USA
Marcin Glowacki: ORCiD; International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR), Curtin University , Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
J. Xavier Prochaska: ORCiD; University of California—Santa Cruz 1156 High St. Santa Cruz , CA 95064 USA; Kavli IPMU (WPI), UTIAS, The University of Tokyo , Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8583, Japan; Division of Science , National Astronomical Observatory of Japan,2-21-1 Osawa, Mitaka, Tokyo 181-8588, Japan
Stuart D. Ryder: ORCiD; School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Macquarie University , Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; Astronomy, Astrophysics and Astrophotonics Research Centre, Macquarie University , Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
Ryan M. Shannon: ORCiD; Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing, Swinburne University of Technology , John St, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia
Sunil Simha: ORCiD; University of California—Santa Cruz 1156 High St. Santa Cruz , CA 95064 USA

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acc178
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 948, no. 1
p. 67

Abstract

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We present the discovery of an as yet nonrepeating fast radio burst (FRB), FRB 20210117A, with the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP), as a part of the Commensal Real-time ASKAP Fast Transients Survey. The subarcsecond localization of the burst led to the identification of its host galaxy at z = 0.214(1). This redshift is much lower than what would be expected for a source dispersion measure (DM) of 729 pc cm ^−3 , given typical contributions from the intergalactic medium and the host galaxy. Optical observations reveal the host to be a dwarf galaxy with little ongoing star formation—very different to the dwarf host galaxies of the known repeating FRBs 20121102A and 20190520B. We find an excess DM contribution from the host and attribute it to the FRB’s local environment. We do not find any radio emission from the FRB site or host galaxy. The low magnetized environment and the lack of a persistent radio source indicate that the FRB source is older than those found in other dwarf host galaxies, establishing the diversity of FRB sources in dwarf galaxy environments. We find our observations to be fully consistent with the “hypernebula” model, where the FRB is powered by an accretion jet from a hyperaccreting black hole. Finally, our high time resolution analysis reveals burst characteristics similar to those seen in repeating FRBs. We encourage follow-up observations of FRB 20210117A to establish any repeating nature.

Published in The Astrophysical Journal

ISSN: 1538-4357 (Online)
Publisher: IOP Publishing
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science: Astronomy: Astrophysics
Website: https://iopscience.iop.org/journal/0004-637X

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