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arXiv:1503.05245astro-ph.HE

Discrete steps in dispersion measures of Fast Radio Bursts

Michael Hippke, Wilfried F. Domainko, John G. Learned

Abstract

Fast Radios Bursts (FRBs) show large dispersion measures (DMs), suggesting an extragalactic location. We analyze the DMs of the 11 known FRBs in detail and identify steps as integer multiples of half the lowest DM found, 187.5cm$^{-3}$ pc, so that DMs occur in groups centered at 375, 562, 750, 937, 1125cm$^{-3}$ pc, with errors observed <5%. We estimate the likelhood of a coincidence as 5:10,000. We speculate that this could originate from a Galaxy population of FRBs, with Milky Way DM contribution as model deviations, and an underlying generator process that produces FRBs with DMs in discrete steps. However, we find that FRBs tend to arrive at close to the full integer second, like man-made perytons. If this holds, FRBs would also be man-made. This can be verified, or refuted, with new FRBs to be detected.

arXiv comments
Major revision. 4 pages, 5 figures. Added: FRBs tend to arrive at close to the full integer second, like man-made perytons. Comments welcome
Journal reference
DOI
Subjects
astro-ph.HEHigh Energy Astrophysical Phenomena astro-ph.EPEarth and Planetary Astrophysics

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Linked by 3 identifiable commenters in 3 comments across 2 threads, from Apr 2015 to Apr 2015. Found in 1 HN submission from Apr 2015 to Apr 2015. Open submission discussions.

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Discussed in comments2 threads

  1. The Case of the 5-Millisecond Cosmic Radio Burst (2014) 1 comment

    • See also: http://arxiv.org/pdf/1503.05245v2.pdf which suggests the FRB dispersions are quantised to a standard unit. A lot of newsies picked this up last week and suggested it was proof of... something unusual. The authors think it suggests the opposite. Given the date, I can't…

      TheOtherHobbesView on HNParent context

  2. Earth receiving mysterious radio signals 2 comments

    • The paper starts with: "Eleven FRBs have been detected so far, nine with the Parkes and one at the Arecibo telescope." That arithmetic is wrong. Tongue-in-the-cheek - April's fool? edit: it actually seems more like a genuine typo in a pre-print. The list further in the article…

      dchichkovView on HNParent context

    • A note -- if you're linking to arXiv, it's better to link to the abstract (http://arxiv.org/abs/1503.05245) rather than directly to the PDF. From the abstract, one can easily click through to the PDF; not so the reverse. And the abstract allows one to do things like see…

      SniffnoyView on HNParent context

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