Quark Nova Model for Fast Radio Bursts

TL;DR

This paper proposes a quark nova model where the birth of a quark star from a neutron star explains the properties of fast radio bursts, including their duration, spectrum, and lack of counterparts.

Contribution

It introduces a novel model linking quark nova events to FRBs, enabling predictions of energies, spectra, and distance measurements.

Findings

FRBs can be explained by electron injection from quark nova ejecta.

The model predicts FRB energies around 10^41 ergs.

It offers a method to measure neutron star magnetic fields and periods.

Abstract

FRBs are puzzling, millisecond, energetic radio transients with no discernible source; observations show no counterparts in other frequency bands. The birth of a quark star from a parent neutron star experiencing a quark nova - previously thought undetectable when born in isolation - provides a natural explanation for the emission characteristics of FRBs. The generation of unstable r-process elements in the quark nova ejecta provides millisecond exponential injection of electrons into the surrounding strong magnetic field at the parent neutron star's light cylinder via $\beta$-decay. This radio synchrotron emission has a total duration of hundreds of milliseconds and matches the observed spectrum while reducing the inferred dispersion measure by approximately 200 cm$^{-3}$ pc. The model allows indirect measurement of neutron star magnetic fields and periods in addition to providing astronomical measurements of $\beta$-decay chains of unstable neutron rich nuclei. Using this model, we can calculate expected FRB average energies ($\sim$ 10$^{41}$ ergs), spectra shapes and provide a theoretical framework for determining distances.