The Role of Magnetic and Rotation Axis Alignment in Driving Fast Radio Burst Phenomenology

We propose a scenario that can describe a broad range of fast radio burst (FRB) phenomenology, from nonrepeating bursts to highly prolific repeaters. Coherent radio waves in these bursts are produced in the polar cap region of a magnetar, where magnetic field lines are open. The angle between the ro...

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Main Authors: Paz Beniamini, Pawan Kumar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb8e6
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author Paz Beniamini
Pawan Kumar
author_facet Paz Beniamini
Pawan Kumar
author_sort Paz Beniamini
collection DOAJ
description We propose a scenario that can describe a broad range of fast radio burst (FRB) phenomenology, from nonrepeating bursts to highly prolific repeaters. Coherent radio waves in these bursts are produced in the polar cap region of a magnetar, where magnetic field lines are open. The angle between the rotation and magnetic axes, relative to the angular size of the polar cap region, partially determines the repetition rate and polarization properties of FRBs. We discuss how many of the properties of repeating FRBs—such as their lack of periodicity, energetics, small polarization angle (PA) swing, spectro–temporal correlation, and inferred low source density— are explained by this scenario. The systematic PA swing and the periodic modulation of long-duration bursts from nonrepeaters are also natural outcomes. We derive a lower limit of about 400 on the Lorentz factor of FRB sources applying this scenario to bursts with a linear polarization degree greater than 95%.
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spelling doaj-art-d7a333f74b3e4122b867b9bf07fd1dbf2025-08-20T02:56:23ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-0198214510.3847/1538-4357/adb8e6The Role of Magnetic and Rotation Axis Alignment in Driving Fast Radio Burst PhenomenologyPaz Beniamini0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7833-1043Pawan Kumar1Department of Natural Sciences, The Open University of Israel , P.O. Box 808, Ra’anana 4353701, Israel ; pazb@openu.ac.il; Astrophysics Research Center of the Open University (ARCO), The Open University of Israel , P.O. Box 808, Ra’anana 4353701, Israel; Department of Physics, The George Washington University , 725 21st Street NW, Washington, DC 20052, USADepartment of Astronomy, University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX 78712, USAWe propose a scenario that can describe a broad range of fast radio burst (FRB) phenomenology, from nonrepeating bursts to highly prolific repeaters. Coherent radio waves in these bursts are produced in the polar cap region of a magnetar, where magnetic field lines are open. The angle between the rotation and magnetic axes, relative to the angular size of the polar cap region, partially determines the repetition rate and polarization properties of FRBs. We discuss how many of the properties of repeating FRBs—such as their lack of periodicity, energetics, small polarization angle (PA) swing, spectro–temporal correlation, and inferred low source density— are explained by this scenario. The systematic PA swing and the periodic modulation of long-duration bursts from nonrepeaters are also natural outcomes. We derive a lower limit of about 400 on the Lorentz factor of FRB sources applying this scenario to bursts with a linear polarization degree greater than 95%.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb8e6Radio transient sourcesNeutron starsMagnetars
spellingShingle Paz Beniamini
Pawan Kumar
The Role of Magnetic and Rotation Axis Alignment in Driving Fast Radio Burst Phenomenology
The Astrophysical Journal
Radio transient sources
Neutron stars
Magnetars
title The Role of Magnetic and Rotation Axis Alignment in Driving Fast Radio Burst Phenomenology
title_full The Role of Magnetic and Rotation Axis Alignment in Driving Fast Radio Burst Phenomenology
title_fullStr The Role of Magnetic and Rotation Axis Alignment in Driving Fast Radio Burst Phenomenology
title_full_unstemmed The Role of Magnetic and Rotation Axis Alignment in Driving Fast Radio Burst Phenomenology
title_short The Role of Magnetic and Rotation Axis Alignment in Driving Fast Radio Burst Phenomenology
title_sort role of magnetic and rotation axis alignment in driving fast radio burst phenomenology
topic Radio transient sources
Neutron stars
Magnetars
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adb8e6
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