LOFT-e: Localisation Of Fast Transients with e-MERLIN

TL;DR

LOFT-e enhances e-MERLIN's capabilities by enabling real-time detection and precise localization of fast radio bursts, significantly improving their scientific utility and expanding pulsar observation options.

Contribution

It introduces a digital backend for e-MERLIN that allows real-time FRB detection and sub-arcsecond localization, also adding pulsar observing capabilities.

Findings

Enables real-time FRB detection with e-MERLIN.

Provides sub-arcsecond localization of FRBs.

Expands pulsar observation capabilities.

Abstract

The majority of fast radio bursts (FRBs) are poorly localised, hindering their potential scientific yield as galactic, intergalactic, and cosmological probes. LOFT-e, a digital backend for the U.K.'s e-MERLIN seven-telescope interferometer will provide commensal search and real-time detection of FRBs, taking full advantage of its field of view (FoV), sensitivity, and observation time. Upon burst detection, LOFT-e will store raw data offline, enabling the sub-arcsecond localisation provided by e-MERLIN and expanding the pool of localised FRBs. The high-time resolution backend will additionally introduce pulsar observing capabilities to e-MERLIN.