Oral Presentation

Localization of FRBs with VLBI: Development of Outrigger Station in India

Author(s): Somnath Dutta & BURSTT Team, ASIAA, Taiwan

Presenter: Somnath Dutta (ASIAA, Taiwan)

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are brief, powerful radio flashes from extragalactic sources with unknown origins. Poor localization and the lack of nearby detections have limited our understanding of their progenitors. The Bustling Universe Radio Survey Telescope in Taiwan (BURSTT) aims to overcome these challenges by detecting distant and nearby FRBs, with planned VLBI outrigger stations to enable sub-arcsecond localization. One such outrigger is being developed at the Gauribidanur Radio Observatory (GBD) near Bangalore, India, operated by the Raman Research Institute (RRI). Located approximately 4700 km from BURSTT’s main site in Taiwan, it will provide ~0.4 arcsecond resolution at 400 MHz, significantly improving source localization for FRB studies.

The development of the station is currently underway. The site has been selected based on radio frequency interference (RFI) surveys. Antennas are being manufactured at a local workshop. Software has been installed. RFI measurements have been completed, and necessary components are being added to prevent saturation of the amplifiers. Initial trigger transmission tests from Taiwan to India have been successful, with an average latency of ~0.35 seconds. Solar fringes have been obtained from observations, indicating that the system is functioning successfully. We expect to begin successful operation of the Phase-I (16-antenna) telescope shortly.