Landing page for project EM142

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-long flashes of unknown origin that have challenged astronomers for the last 10 years. While >100 FRBs have been discovered, only a handful of them have been precisely localized to date: two repeating FRBs to milliarcsecond precision using the EVN, and three (apparently) non-repeating FRBs to arcsecond precision. Recently, ASKAP discovered FRB190608, a so-far non-repeating FRB. This burst was found in an environment remarkably similar to that of the second localized repeating FRB. However, the current localization is not precise enough (~arcsec) to determine if FRB190608 originated from one of the nearby star-forming clumps. This would draw parallels with what is observed in the case of the localized repeating FRBs, and would be important for constraining progenitor models. We request EVN+eMERLIN observations to detect new bursts from FRB190608, localize them to milliarcsecond precision, and search for persistent radio emission. The possible connection between burst properties and persistent emission would significantly narrow down the environments of FRBs, even in case of absence of such emission. This new FRB would be the third localized to mas resolution, and would allow us to better understand these sources and ultimately unveil their nature.

This data is part of the archive of VLBI data maintained by JIVE on behalf of the EVN, a network of radio telescopes located primarily in Europe and Asia, with additional antennas in South Africa. The EVN archive itself has the DOI https://doi.org/10.17616/R3Z197