Polarization Pipeline for Fast Radio Bursts Detected by CHIME/FRB
Polarimetric observations of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are a powerful resource for better understanding these mysterious sources by directly probing the emission mechanism of the source and the magneto-ionic properties of its environment. We present a pipeline for analysing the polarized signal of...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
American Astronomical Society
2022
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/142148 |
| _version_ | 1826193466381565952 |
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| author | Mckinven, R Michilli, D Masui, K Cubranic, D Gaensler, BM Ng, C Bhardwaj, M Leung, C Boyle, PJ Brar, C Cassanelli, T Li, D Mena-Parra, J Rahman, M Stairs, IH |
| author2 | MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research |
| author_facet | MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research Mckinven, R Michilli, D Masui, K Cubranic, D Gaensler, BM Ng, C Bhardwaj, M Leung, C Boyle, PJ Brar, C Cassanelli, T Li, D Mena-Parra, J Rahman, M Stairs, IH |
| author_sort | Mckinven, R |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Polarimetric observations of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are a powerful resource
for better understanding these mysterious sources by directly probing the
emission mechanism of the source and the magneto-ionic properties of its
environment. We present a pipeline for analysing the polarized signal of FRBs
captured by the triggered baseband recording system operating on the FRB survey
of The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME/FRB). Using a
combination of simulated and real FRB events, we summarize the main features of
the pipeline and highlight the dominant systematics affecting the polarized
signal. We compare parametric (QU-fitting) and non-parametric (rotation measure
synthesis) methods for determining the Faraday rotation measure (RM) and find
the latter method susceptible to systematic errors from known instrumental
effects of CHIME/FRB observations. These errors include a leakage artefact that
appears as polarized signal near $\rm{RM\sim 0 \; rad \, m^{-2}}$ and an RM
sign ambiguity introduced by path length differences in the system's
electronics. We apply the pipeline to a bright burst previously reported by
\citet[FRB 20191219F;][]{Leung2021}, detecting an $\mathrm{RM}$ of $\rm{+6.074
\pm 0.006 \pm 0.050 \; rad \, m^{-2}}$ with a significant linear polarized
fraction ($\gtrsim0.87$) and strong evidence for a non-negligible circularly
polarized component. Finally, we introduce an RM search method that employs a
phase-coherent de-rotation algorithm to correct for intra-channel
depolarization in data that retain electric field phase information, and
successfully apply it to an unpublished FRB, FRB 20200917A, measuring an
$\mathrm{RM}$ of $\rm{-1294.47 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.05 \; rad \, m^{-2}}$ (the second
largest unambiguous RM detection from any FRB source observed to date). |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T09:39:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/142148 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T09:39:38Z |
| publishDate | 2022 |
| publisher | American Astronomical Society |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1421482023-08-07T18:01:40Z Polarization Pipeline for Fast Radio Bursts Detected by CHIME/FRB Mckinven, R Michilli, D Masui, K Cubranic, D Gaensler, BM Ng, C Bhardwaj, M Leung, C Boyle, PJ Brar, C Cassanelli, T Li, D Mena-Parra, J Rahman, M Stairs, IH MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Physics Polarimetric observations of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are a powerful resource for better understanding these mysterious sources by directly probing the emission mechanism of the source and the magneto-ionic properties of its environment. We present a pipeline for analysing the polarized signal of FRBs captured by the triggered baseband recording system operating on the FRB survey of The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME/FRB). Using a combination of simulated and real FRB events, we summarize the main features of the pipeline and highlight the dominant systematics affecting the polarized signal. We compare parametric (QU-fitting) and non-parametric (rotation measure synthesis) methods for determining the Faraday rotation measure (RM) and find the latter method susceptible to systematic errors from known instrumental effects of CHIME/FRB observations. These errors include a leakage artefact that appears as polarized signal near $\rm{RM\sim 0 \; rad \, m^{-2}}$ and an RM sign ambiguity introduced by path length differences in the system's electronics. We apply the pipeline to a bright burst previously reported by \citet[FRB 20191219F;][]{Leung2021}, detecting an $\mathrm{RM}$ of $\rm{+6.074 \pm 0.006 \pm 0.050 \; rad \, m^{-2}}$ with a significant linear polarized fraction ($\gtrsim0.87$) and strong evidence for a non-negligible circularly polarized component. Finally, we introduce an RM search method that employs a phase-coherent de-rotation algorithm to correct for intra-channel depolarization in data that retain electric field phase information, and successfully apply it to an unpublished FRB, FRB 20200917A, measuring an $\mathrm{RM}$ of $\rm{-1294.47 \pm 0.10 \pm 0.05 \; rad \, m^{-2}}$ (the second largest unambiguous RM detection from any FRB source observed to date). 2022-04-27T17:35:23Z 2022-04-27T17:35:23Z 2021 2022-04-27T17:32:54Z Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/142148 Mckinven, R, Michilli, D, Masui, K, Cubranic, D, Gaensler, BM et al. 2021. "Polarization Pipeline for Fast Radio Bursts Detected by CHIME/FRB." Astrophysical Journal, 920 (2). en 10.3847/1538-4357/AC126A Astrophysical Journal Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf American Astronomical Society The American Astronomical Society |
| spellingShingle | Mckinven, R Michilli, D Masui, K Cubranic, D Gaensler, BM Ng, C Bhardwaj, M Leung, C Boyle, PJ Brar, C Cassanelli, T Li, D Mena-Parra, J Rahman, M Stairs, IH Polarization Pipeline for Fast Radio Bursts Detected by CHIME/FRB |
| title | Polarization Pipeline for Fast Radio Bursts Detected by CHIME/FRB |
| title_full | Polarization Pipeline for Fast Radio Bursts Detected by CHIME/FRB |
| title_fullStr | Polarization Pipeline for Fast Radio Bursts Detected by CHIME/FRB |
| title_full_unstemmed | Polarization Pipeline for Fast Radio Bursts Detected by CHIME/FRB |
| title_short | Polarization Pipeline for Fast Radio Bursts Detected by CHIME/FRB |
| title_sort | polarization pipeline for fast radio bursts detected by chime frb |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/142148 |
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