Constraining the origin of the long term periodicity of FRB 20180916B with Polarization Position Angle

TL;DR

This study investigates the polarization position angle variability of FRB 20180916B to constrain its progenitor models, finding partial support for rotational models and ruling out precessional ones, while noting similarities with Her X 1.

Contribution

The paper provides the first detailed analysis of PA variability in FRB 20180916B across multiple timescales, constraining progenitor models using polarization data.

Findings

PA varies with the source's periodicity.

PA variability within seven degrees over four hours.

Precessional models are ruled out based on PA variability.

Abstract

FRB 20180916B is a repeating Fast Radio Burst (FRB) which produces bursts in a 5.1 day active window which repeats with a 16.34 day period. Models have been proposed to explain the periodicity using dynamical phenomena such as rotation, precession or orbital motion. Polarization Position Angle (PA) of the bursts can be used to distinguish and constraint the origin of the long term periodicity of the FRB. We aim to study the PA variability on short (within an observation) and long timescales (from observation to observation). We aim to compare the observed PA variability with the predictions of various dynamical progenitor models for the FRB. We use the calibrated burst dataset detected by uGMRT in Band 4 (650 MHz) which have been published in arXiv:2409.12584 . We transform the PA measured at 650 MHz to infinite frequency such that PAs measured in different observations are consistent, and finally measure the changes within and across active windows. We find that PA of the bursts vary according to the periodicity of the source. We constrain the PA variability to be within seven degrees on timescales less than four hours for all MJDs. In addition, we also tentatively note the PA measured at the same phase in the active window varies from one cycle to another. Using the findings, we constrain rotational, precession and binary progenitor models. Rotational model partially agrees with observed PA variability but requires further study to fully constrain. We robustly rule out all flavors of precessional models where either precession explains the periodicity of the FRB or the variability from one cycle to another. Lastly, we draw similarities between FRB 20180916B and a X-ray binary system, Her X 1, and explicitly note that both the sources exhibit a similar form of PA variability.