Published in

Oxford University Press, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 3(486), p. 3636-3646, 2019

DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stz958

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A fast radio burst with frequency-dependent polarization detected during Breakthrough Listen observations

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

ABSTRACT Here, we report on the detection and verification of fast radio burst FRB 180301, which occurred on utc 2018 March 1 during the Breakthrough Listen observations with the Parkes telescope. Full-polarization voltage data of the detection were captured – a first for non-repeating FRBs – allowing for coherent de-dispersion and additional verification tests. The coherently de-dispersed dynamic spectrum of FRB 180301 shows complex, polarized frequency structure over a small fractional bandwidth. As FRB 180301 was detected close to the geosynchronous satellite band during a time of known 1–2 GHz satellite transmissions, we consider whether the burst was due to radio interference emitted or reflected from an orbiting object. Based on the pre-ponderance of our verification tests, we cannot conclusively determine FRB 180301 to be either astrophysical or anthropogenic in origin.