Milliarcsecond localization of the hyperactive repeating FRB 20220912A
Journal article, 2024
We present very long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of the hyperactive repeating FRB 20220912A using the European VLBI Network (EVN) outside of regular observing sessions (EVN-Lite). We detected 150 bursts from FRB 20220912A over two observing epochs in 2022 October. Combining the burst data allows us to localize FRB 20220912A to a precision of a few milliarcseconds, corresponding to a transverse scale of less than 10 pc at the distance of the source. This precise localization shows that FRB 20220912A lies closer to the centre of its host galaxy than previously found, although still significantly offset from the host galaxy's nucleus. On arcsecond scales, FRB 20220912A is coincident with a persistent continuum radio source known from archival observations; however, we find no compact persistent emission on milliarcsecond scales. The 5σ upper limit on the presence of such a compact persistent radio source is 120 μJy, corresponding to a luminosity limit of (D/362.4 Mpc)erg s-1 Hz-1. The persistent radio emission is thus likely to be from star formation in the host galaxy. This is in contrast to some other active FRBs, such as FRB 20121102A and FRB 20190520B.
techniques: high angular resolution
fast radio bursts
radio continuum: transients
Author
Dante M. Hewitt
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy
Shivani Bhandari
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE)
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
B. Marcote
Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE)
J. W. T. Hessels
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy
K. Nimmo
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Franz Kirsten
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Onsala Space Observatory
U. Bach
Max Planck Society
V. Bezrukovs
Ventspils Augstskola
Mohit Bhardwaj
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
R. Blaauw
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Justin D. Bray
University of Manchester
S. Buttaccio
Istituto di Radioastronomia
A. Corongiu
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
M. P. Gawroński
Nicolaus Copernicus University
M. Giroletti
Istituto di Radioastronomia
A. Keimpema
Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE)
G. Maccaferri
Istituto di Radioastronomia
Z. Paragi
Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE)
M. Trudu
Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF)
M. P. Snelders
Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON)
Anton Pannekoek Institute for Astronomy
T. Venturi
Istituto di Radioastronomia
N. Wang
Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory
David Williams-Baldwin
University of Manchester
Nicholas H. Wrigley
University of Manchester
Jun Yang
Chalmers, Space, Earth and Environment, Onsala Space Observatory
J. P. Yuan
Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
00358711 (ISSN) 13652966 (eISSN)
Vol. 529 2 1814-1826Subject Categories
Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences
Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology
DOI
10.1093/mnras/stae632