Oral Presentation

Milliarcsecond localisations of FRBs -- what have we learned?

Author(s): Franz Kirsten (Chalmers University of Technology, OSO)

Presenter: Franz Kirsten (Chalmers University of Technology)

The question of what type of star(s) generate FRBs is still unanswered. One key aspect that can help to crack this puzzle are the physical conditions in the local environments of FRB-sources -- e.g. do they reside in star-forming regions or not, are they co-located with a persistent source or not? High-resolution, multi-wavelength optical data can tell us about those very physical conditions but we need a localisation-precision for the FRBs that matches the resolution of the optical data. Only very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) can deliver such milliarcsecond localisation.
For the last four years, we have been running a VLBI-campaign dubbed PRECISE that regularly targets repeating FRBs with stations that are part of the European VLBI Network (EVN). We have more than doubled the number of precisely localised sources and another three localisations are in preparation. In this talk I will summarise what we have learned so far and I will touch upon the prospects of FRB-VLBI once CHIME/FRB and BURSTT start to regularly localise FRBs. In addition, I will show latest results from our single-dish monitoring campaigns that indicate that high-energy bursts from repeating FRBs may be the missing link between repeaters and non-repeaters.