No bursts detected from FRB121102 in two 5-hour observing campaigns with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope

TL;DR

This study reports non-detections of FRB 121102 during extensive radio observations, supporting the idea that its bursts are episodic, and highlights the importance of long-term monitoring campaigns.

Contribution

First long-duration contiguous radio observations of FRB 121102 showing no bursts, emphasizing its episodic nature and the value of simultaneous multi-wavelength monitoring.

Findings

No bursts detected during 20 hours of observations.

Supports episodic burst activity of FRB 121102.

Highlights importance of long-term, simultaneous multi-wavelength campaigns.

Abstract

Here, we report non-detection of radio bursts from Fast Radio Burst FRB 121102 during two 5-hour observation sessions on the Robert C. Byrd 100-m Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia, USA, on December 11, 2017, and January 12, 2018. In addition, we report non-detection during an abutting 10-hour observation with the Kunming 40-m telescope in China, which commenced UTC 10:00 January 12, 2018. These are among the longest published contiguous observations of FRB 121102, and support the notion that FRB 121102 bursts are episodic. These observations were part of a simultaneous optical and radio monitoring campaign with the the Caltech HIgh- speed Multi-color CamERA (CHIMERA) instrument on the Hale 5.1-m telescope.