Constraining Parameters in Pulsar Models of Repeating FRB 121102 with High-Energy Follow-up Observations

Abstract

Recently, a precise (sub-arcsecond) localization of the repeating fast radio burst (FRB) 121102 has led to the discovery of persistent radio and optical counterparts, the identification of a host dwarf galaxy at a redshift of $z=0.193$, and several campaigns of searches for higher-frequency counterparts, which gave only upper limits on the emission flux. Although the origin of FRBs remains unknown, most of the existing theoretical models are associated with pulsars, or more specifically, magnetars. In this paper, we explore persistent high-energy emission from a rapidly rotating highly magnetized pulsar associated with FRB 121102 if internal gradual magnetic dissipation occurs in the pulsar wind. We find that the efficiency of converting the spin-down luminosity to the high-energy (e.g., X-ray) luminosity is generally much smaller than unity, even for a millisecond magnetar. This provides an explanation for the non-detection of high-energy counterparts to FRB 121102. We further constrain the spin period and surface magnetic field strength of the pulsar with the current high-energy observations. In addition, we compare our results with the constraints given by the other methods in previous works and would expect to apply our new method to some other open issues in the future.

6 pages, 5 figures, ApJ in press, minor changes due to proof corrections

References in corpus (19)

• A bright millisecond radio burst of extragalactic origin
• The direct localization of a fast radio burst and its host
• The Internal-Collision-Induced Magnetic Reconnection and Turbulence (ICMART) Model of Gamma-Ray Bursts
• The Host Galaxy and Redshift of the Repeating Fast Radio Burst FRB 121102
• Fast Radio Burst Discovered in the Arecibo Pulsar ALFA Survey
• The Repeating Fast Radio Burst FRB 121102 as Seen on Milliarcsecond Angular Scales
• Relativistic Jets Shine through Shocks or Magnetic Reconnection?
• The magnetic field and turbulence of the cosmic web measured using a brilliant fast radio burst
• Prompt GRB emission from gradual energy dissipation
• A fast radio burst in the direction of the Carina dwarf spheroidal galaxy
• FRB 121102 is coincident with a star forming region in its host galaxy
• Prompt emission spectra from the photosphere of a GRB
• Relativistic magnetic reconnection in pair plasmas and its astrophysical applications
• The Galactic Position Dependence of Fast Radio Bursts and the Discovery of FRB 011025
• A novel paradigm for short gamma-ray bursts with extended X-ray emission
• Short gamma-ray bursts in the "time-reversal" scenario
• Scaling of magnetic reconnection in relativistic collisionless plasmas
• Repeating FRB 121102 : Eight-year Fermi-LAT Upper Limits and Implications
• Search for GeV counterparts to fast radio bursts with Fermi

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Afterglows and Kilonovae Associated with Nearby Low-Luminosity Short-Duration Gamma-Ray Bursts: Application to GW170817/GRB170817A
• Determining the efficiency of converting magnetar spin-down energy into gamma-ray burst X-ray afterglow emission and its possible implications
• Inspiral of a Spinning Black Hole--Magnetized Neutron Star Binary: Increasing Charge and Electromagnetic Emission
• On the properties of a newborn magnetar powering the X-ray transient CDF-S XT2