Challenges for Fast Radio Bursts as Multi-Messenger Sources from Binary Neutron Star Mergers

Challenges for Fast Radio Bursts as Multi-Messenger Sources from Binary Neutron Star Mergers | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Challenges for Fast Radio Bursts as Multi-Messenger Sources from Binary Neutron Star Mergers Mohit Bhardwaj, Antonella Palmese, Ignacio Hernandez, Virginia d'Emilio, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3011342/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration transients from extragalactic sources, with their origins remaining a topic of active debate. Among the proposed progenitors, binary neutron star (BNS) mergers are compelling candidates for some non-repeating FRBs. However, associating FRBs with BNS mergers cannot be based solely on low chance coincidence probability. This study delineates necessary criteria for associating FRBs with BNS mergers, focusing on the post-merger ejecta environment. To underscore the significance of these criteria, we scrutinise the proposed association between GW190425 and FRB20190425A, considering the requirement for the FRB signal to traverse the dense merger ejecta without significant attenuation to remain detectable at 400 MHz. Our investigation reveals that if the FRB is linked to the gravitational wave event, the GW data support a highly off-axis configuration, with a probability of the BNS merger viewing angle p(θv > 30 degrees) being approximately 99.99%. This strongly excludes an on-axis system, which is required for this FRB to be detectable. We also find far-away FRB emission models inadequate to explain the FRB-GW connection. Thus, we conclude that GW190425 is not related to FRB20190425A. We discuss the implications for future multi-messenger observations, suggesting that BNS merger remnants are unlikely to account for more than 1% of FRB sources. This finding implies that short gamma-ray bursts should not be used to explain the global characteristics of the FRB host population. Physical sciences/Astronomy and planetary science/Astronomy and astrophysics/Transient astrophysical phenomena Physical sciences/Astronomy and planetary science/Astronomy and astrophysics/Compact astrophysical objects Fast radio bursts gravitational waves binary neutron star merger Full Text Additional Declarations There is NO Competing Interest. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-3011342","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":359764485,"identity":"234fa7cf-3486-4a78-a5ad-a28a03cfdc57","order_by":0,"name":"Mohit Bhardwaj","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA1klEQVRIiWNgGAWjYFACHoYDjA02QEYCQkyCoJaDDWkkamE42HCYBC267b0HD3/ccV7enD334WMeBrtogwPMB2/z4NFiduZcwoGDZ24b7ux5bmzMw5Ccu+EAW7I1Xi03cgwOHGy7zbjhRhqbdA7DAaAWHjNpIrScswdqYf8N0cL/jRgtBxJBtjBDbWHDr+XMGYMDZ88kJ28484xZ+o9Bcu7Mw2zGlnPwaTneY/yhcoed7YbjaYwfZ1TY5fYdb3544w0eLWjAAIiZiVc+CkbBKBgFowAHAACjtlco5FqdsgAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3615-3514","institution":"Carnegie Mellon University","correspondingAuthor":true,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mohit","middleName":"","lastName":"Bhardwaj","suffix":""},{"id":359764486,"identity":"5d26af5c-7228-4247-a082-444916edc0a9","order_by":1,"name":"Antonella Palmese","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Carnegie Mellon University","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Antonella","middleName":"","lastName":"Palmese","suffix":""},{"id":359764487,"identity":"e036e549-b2cf-494d-a8b3-c6c70176e8ed","order_by":2,"name":"Ignacio Hernandez","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Ignacio","middleName":"","lastName":"Hernandez","suffix":""},{"id":359764488,"identity":"12b6c53c-165e-417b-823e-2cde8b7104da","order_by":3,"name":"Virginia d'Emilio","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6145-8187","institution":"Cardiff University","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Virginia","middleName":"","lastName":"d'Emilio","suffix":""},{"id":359764489,"identity":"fd5e44ae-9ac7-4b9d-82c1-94d4f0b14e45","order_by":4,"name":"Soichiro Morisaki","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee","correspondingAuthor":false,"submittingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Soichiro","middleName":"","lastName":"Morisaki","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2023-06-01 18:05:53","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3011342/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3011342/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":65562824,"identity":"f4b3757f-230c-43e7-8693-5da0babd186f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2024-09-30 04:28:51","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":661448,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"GW190425FRBassociationnaturecommunications.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-3011342/v1_covered_b2db66d6-9dc5-478b-b28b-fc6017f8eb21.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"There is \u003cb\u003eNO\u003c/b\u003e Competing Interest.","formattedTitle":"Challenges for Fast Radio Bursts as Multi-Messenger Sources from Binary Neutron Star Mergers","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":true,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"Fast radio bursts, gravitational waves, binary neutron star merger","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-3011342/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3011342/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration transients from extragalactic sources, with their origins remaining a topic of active debate. Among the proposed progenitors, binary neutron star (BNS) mergers are compelling candidates for some non-repeating FRBs. However, associating FRBs with BNS mergers cannot be based solely on low chance coincidence probability. This study delineates necessary criteria for associating FRBs with BNS mergers, focusing on the post-merger ejecta environment. To underscore the significance of these criteria, we scrutinise the proposed association between GW190425 and FRB20190425A, considering the requirement for the FRB signal to traverse the dense merger ejecta without significant attenuation to remain detectable at 400 MHz. Our investigation reveals that if the FRB is linked to the gravitational wave event, the GW data support a highly off-axis configuration, with a probability of the BNS merger viewing angle p(θv \u003e 30 degrees) being approximately 99.99%. This strongly excludes an on-axis system, which is required for this FRB to be detectable. 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