{
  "id": "2103.01295",
  "version": "v1",
  "published": "2021-03-01T20:35:48.000Z",
  "updated": "2021-03-01T20:35:48.000Z",
  "title": "A nearby repeating fast radio burst in the direction of M81",
  "authors": [
    "M. Bhardwaj",
    "B. M. Gaensler",
    "V. M. Kaspi",
    "T. L. Landecker",
    "R. Mckinven",
    "D. Michilli",
    "Z. Pleunis",
    "S. P. Tendulkar",
    "B. C. Andersen",
    "P. J. Boyle",
    "T. Cassanelli",
    "P. Chawla",
    "A. Cook",
    "M. Dobbs",
    "E. Fonseca",
    "J. Kaczmarek",
    "C. Leung",
    "K. Masui",
    "M. Münchmeyer",
    "C. Ng",
    "M. Rafiei-Ravandi",
    "P. Scholz",
    "K. Shin",
    "K. M. Smith",
    "I. H. Stairs",
    "A. V. Zwaniga"
  ],
  "comment": "In press, ApJL; comments still welcome",
  "categories": [
    "astro-ph.HE",
    "astro-ph.GA"
  ],
  "abstract": "We report on the discovery of FRB 20200120E, a repeating fast radio burst (FRB) with low dispersion measure (DM), detected by the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME)/FRB project. The source DM of 87.82 pc cm$^{-3}$ is the lowest recorded from an FRB to date, yet is significantly higher than the maximum expected from the Milky Way interstellar medium in this direction (~ 50 pc cm$^{-3}$). We have detected three bursts and one candidate burst from the source over the period 2020 January-November. The baseband voltage data for the event on 2020 January 20 enabled a sky localization of the source to within $\\simeq$ 14 sq. arcmin (90% confidence). The FRB localization is close to M81, a spiral galaxy at a distance of 3.6 Mpc. The FRB appears on the outskirts of M81 (projected offset $\\sim$ 20 kpc) but well inside its extended HI and thick disks. We empirically estimate the probability of chance coincidence with M81 to be $< 10^{-2}$. However, we cannot reject a Milky Way halo origin for the FRB. Within the FRB localization region, we find several interesting cataloged M81 sources and a radio point source detected in the Very Large Array Sky Survey (VLASS). We searched for prompt X-ray counterparts in Swift/BAT and Fermi/GBM data, and for two of the FRB 20200120E bursts, we rule out coincident SGR 1806$-$20-like X-ray bursts. Due to the proximity of FRB 20200120E, future follow-up for prompt multi-wavelength counterparts and sub-arcsecond localization could be constraining of proposed FRB models.",
  "revisions": [
    {
      "version": "v1",
      "updated": "2021-03-01T20:35:48.000Z"
    }
  ],
  "analyses": {
    "keywords": [
      "nearby repeating fast radio burst",
      "hydrogen intensity mapping experiment",
      "frb 20200120e",
      "large array sky survey"
    ],
    "note": {
      "typesetting": "TeX",
      "pages": 0,
      "language": "en",
      "license": "arXiv",
      "status": "editable"
    }
  }
}