Evidence of young magnetars in massive binary embedded in a supernova remnant as sources of active fast radio bursts

TL;DR

This paper presents evidence that young magnetars in massive binary systems within supernova remnants are likely sources of active fast radio bursts, explaining diverse observational features and supporting a unified model.

Contribution

It introduces the first evidence of a supernova remnant around an FRB source and proposes a unified model linking young magnetars in binaries to active FRBs with observable PRSs.

Findings

Supernova remnant detected around FRB 20190520B

Active repeating FRBs associated with PRSs can be explained by young magnetars in binaries

Model predicts distinct DM and RM variations for repeating FRBs

Abstract

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are intense pulses with unknown origins. A subclass of repeating FRBs show some common features, such as associated compact persistent radio sources (PRSs), high burst rates, and large host-galaxy dispersion measures (DMs). Meanwhile, they show diverse DM and rotation measure (RM) variations, which cannot be explained by current models. A unified model urgently needs to be established. Here we show the first evidence for a supernova remnant surrounding the FRB 20190520B source. We then demonstrate that the five active repeating FRB sources associated with PRSs can be understood within a single model in which central objects are young magnetars in massive binary systems embedded in supernova remnants. This model naturally predicts distinct variations of DM and RM for repeating FRBs. Crucially, young magnetar wind nebulae can generate bright PRSs. As a magnetar becomes older, the luminosity of a PRS will fade, which can naturally explain less-luminous PRSs for some active FRBs. Our results support a unified population of active FRBs in dynamic magnetized environments.