Cosmology with Fast Radio Bursts

TL;DR

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are emerging as powerful tools for cosmology, helping to constrain parameters and map baryon distribution, despite current detection and analysis challenges.

Contribution

This chapter reviews how FRBs can be used as cosmological probes, highlighting recent advances and future potential in understanding the universe.

Findings

FRBs can constrain cosmological parameters

FRBs help map baryon distribution in the universe

Challenges remain in detection and analysis

Abstract

Despite the first detection of fast radio bursts (FRBs) being as recent as 2007, they have already been proven to be a fantastic tool as a unique cosmological probe. In this chapter, after a brief introduction to FRBs and how they are currently detected, we describe various cosmological questions and how FRB research has both aided previous studies and can continue to do so. Topics include placing constraints on cosmological parameters to understanding the distribution of baryons throughout the Universe. We conclude with some notes on the challenges to be overcome and how to best enable ongoing and future FRB-based studies of cosmology.