A Search for the host galaxy of FRB 171020

Elizabeth K. Mahony; Ron D. Ekers; Jean-Pierre Macquart; Elaine M. Sadler; Keith W. Bannister; Shivani Bhandari; Chris Flynn; Bärbel S. Koribalski; J. Xavier Prochaska; Stuart D. Ryder; Ryan M. Shannon; Nicolas Tejos; Matthew T. Whiting; O. I. Wong

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/aae7cb

A Search for the host galaxy of FRB 171020

Elizabeth K. Mahony, Ron D. Ekers, Jean-Pierre Macquart, Elaine M. Sadler, Keith W. Bannister, Shivani Bhandari, Chris Flynn, Bärbel S. Koribalski, J. Xavier Prochaska, Stuart D. Ryder, Ryan M. Shannon, Nicolas Tejos, Matthew T. Whiting, O. I. Wong

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Abstract

We report on a search for the host galaxy of FRB 171020, the fast radio burst (FRB) with the smallest recorded dispersion measure (DM; DM = 114 pc cm^-3) of our ongoing ASKAP survey. The low DM confines the burst location within a sufficiently small volume to rigorously constrain the identity of the host galaxy. We identify 16 candidate galaxies in the search volume and single out ESO 601-G036, an Sc galaxy at redshift z = 0.00867, as the most likely host galaxy. Ultraviolet and optical imaging and spectroscopy reveal that this galaxy has a star formation rate of approximately 0.1 M _o yr^-1 and oxygen abundance 12 + log(O/H) = 8.3 ±0.2, properties that are remarkably consistent with the galaxy hosting the repeating FRB 121102. However, in contrast to FRB 121102, follow-up radio observations of ESO 601-G036 show no compact radio emission above a 5σ limit of L _2.1GHz = 3.6 ×10¹⁹ W Hz^-1. Using radio continuum observations of the field, combined with archival optical imaging data, we find no analog to the persistent radio source associated with FRB 121102 within the localization region of FRB 171020 out to z = 0.06. These results suggest that FRBs are not necessarily associated with a luminous and compact radio continuum source.

Original language	English
Article number	L10
Pages (from-to)	1-6
Number of pages	6
Journal	Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume	867
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aae7cb
Publication status	Published - 1 Nov 2018

Bibliographical note

Copyright 2018 the American Astronomical Society. First published in Astrophysical journal letters, volume 867, issue 1, article L10. The original publication is available at http://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aae7cb, published by IOP Publishing. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

Keywords

galaxies: individual (ESO 601-G036)
galaxies: spiral
radio continuum: galaxies

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10.3847/2041-8213/aae7cb

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Cite this

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title = "A Search for the host galaxy of FRB 171020",

abstract = "We report on a search for the host galaxy of FRB 171020, the fast radio burst (FRB) with the smallest recorded dispersion measure (DM; DM = 114 pc cm-3) of our ongoing ASKAP survey. The low DM confines the burst location within a sufficiently small volume to rigorously constrain the identity of the host galaxy. We identify 16 candidate galaxies in the search volume and single out ESO 601-G036, an Sc galaxy at redshift z = 0.00867, as the most likely host galaxy. Ultraviolet and optical imaging and spectroscopy reveal that this galaxy has a star formation rate of approximately 0.1 M o yr-1 and oxygen abundance 12 + log(O/H) = 8.3 ±0.2, properties that are remarkably consistent with the galaxy hosting the repeating FRB 121102. However, in contrast to FRB 121102, follow-up radio observations of ESO 601-G036 show no compact radio emission above a 5σ limit of L 2.1GHz = 3.6 ×1019 W Hz-1. Using radio continuum observations of the field, combined with archival optical imaging data, we find no analog to the persistent radio source associated with FRB 121102 within the localization region of FRB 171020 out to z = 0.06. These results suggest that FRBs are not necessarily associated with a luminous and compact radio continuum source.",

keywords = "galaxies: individual (ESO 601-G036), galaxies: spiral, radio continuum: galaxies",

author = "Mahony, {Elizabeth K.} and Ekers, {Ron D.} and Jean-Pierre Macquart and Sadler, {Elaine M.} and Bannister, {Keith W.} and Shivani Bhandari and Chris Flynn and Koribalski, {B{\"a}rbel S.} and Prochaska, {J. Xavier} and Ryder, {Stuart D.} and Shannon, {Ryan M.} and Nicolas Tejos and Whiting, {Matthew T.} and Wong, {O. I.}",

note = "Copyright 2018 the American Astronomical Society. First published in Astrophysical journal letters, volume 867, issue 1, article L10. The original publication is available at http://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aae7cb, published by IOP Publishing. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.",

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AU - Mahony, Elizabeth K.

AU - Ekers, Ron D.

AU - Macquart, Jean-Pierre

AU - Sadler, Elaine M.

AU - Bannister, Keith W.

AU - Bhandari, Shivani

AU - Flynn, Chris

AU - Koribalski, Bärbel S.

AU - Prochaska, J. Xavier

AU - Ryder, Stuart D.

AU - Shannon, Ryan M.

AU - Tejos, Nicolas

AU - Whiting, Matthew T.

AU - Wong, O. I.

N1 - Copyright 2018 the American Astronomical Society. First published in Astrophysical journal letters, volume 867, issue 1, article L10. The original publication is available at http://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/aae7cb, published by IOP Publishing. Version archived for private and non-commercial use with the permission of the author/s and according to publisher conditions. For further rights please contact the publisher.

PY - 2018/11/1

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N2 - We report on a search for the host galaxy of FRB 171020, the fast radio burst (FRB) with the smallest recorded dispersion measure (DM; DM = 114 pc cm-3) of our ongoing ASKAP survey. The low DM confines the burst location within a sufficiently small volume to rigorously constrain the identity of the host galaxy. We identify 16 candidate galaxies in the search volume and single out ESO 601-G036, an Sc galaxy at redshift z = 0.00867, as the most likely host galaxy. Ultraviolet and optical imaging and spectroscopy reveal that this galaxy has a star formation rate of approximately 0.1 M o yr-1 and oxygen abundance 12 + log(O/H) = 8.3 ±0.2, properties that are remarkably consistent with the galaxy hosting the repeating FRB 121102. However, in contrast to FRB 121102, follow-up radio observations of ESO 601-G036 show no compact radio emission above a 5σ limit of L 2.1GHz = 3.6 ×1019 W Hz-1. Using radio continuum observations of the field, combined with archival optical imaging data, we find no analog to the persistent radio source associated with FRB 121102 within the localization region of FRB 171020 out to z = 0.06. These results suggest that FRBs are not necessarily associated with a luminous and compact radio continuum source.

AB - We report on a search for the host galaxy of FRB 171020, the fast radio burst (FRB) with the smallest recorded dispersion measure (DM; DM = 114 pc cm-3) of our ongoing ASKAP survey. The low DM confines the burst location within a sufficiently small volume to rigorously constrain the identity of the host galaxy. We identify 16 candidate galaxies in the search volume and single out ESO 601-G036, an Sc galaxy at redshift z = 0.00867, as the most likely host galaxy. Ultraviolet and optical imaging and spectroscopy reveal that this galaxy has a star formation rate of approximately 0.1 M o yr-1 and oxygen abundance 12 + log(O/H) = 8.3 ±0.2, properties that are remarkably consistent with the galaxy hosting the repeating FRB 121102. However, in contrast to FRB 121102, follow-up radio observations of ESO 601-G036 show no compact radio emission above a 5σ limit of L 2.1GHz = 3.6 ×1019 W Hz-1. Using radio continuum observations of the field, combined with archival optical imaging data, we find no analog to the persistent radio source associated with FRB 121102 within the localization region of FRB 171020 out to z = 0.06. These results suggest that FRBs are not necessarily associated with a luminous and compact radio continuum source.

KW - galaxies: individual (ESO 601-G036)

KW - galaxies: spiral

KW - radio continuum: galaxies

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A Search for the host galaxy of FRB 171020

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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