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Welcome to the FRB Theory Wiki!
This is a collaborative effort between theorists and astronomers to discuss and track theories and observations pertaining to fast radio bursts (FRBs). The field of FRBs is in its fairly nascent stages and theories are abound. It is getting hard to keep abreast of the latest ideas and observations. This wiki aims to do the following:
- Track published FRB theories, their predictions in different wavebands, current observational constraints, and future tests.
- Serve as a discussion board to hash out finer points of theories, possible extensions and modifications.
- Serve as a tracer of the zeitgeist and how (over the next decade or so) science converges on the answer(s).
- Publish 'state of theory' snapshots every year (with all contributors invited to be authors).
- Serve as a theory complement to the FRB Catalogue
The FRB theory catalog and its corresponding paper are being reviewed in Physics Review. Please cite ArXiV:1810.05836 if it was of use to your work.
Email Shriharsh Tendulkar, Emma Platts or Amanda Weltman if you need more help/information, suggest a feature or report a bug.
Contributing to the Wiki
You are invited to contribute to the discussion by signing in/making an account (at the top right corner). This wiki is divided into the summary page, that concisely tabulates current FRB theories, and the individual theory discussion pages, where further discussion takes place. The summary page (i.e. this page) is editable only by administrators. All other pages are editable by anyone with an account. See Instructions for more details.
Rules and Guidelines
Click here for detailed instructions
We expect a healthy and frank discussion of ideas on this wiki. As many of these ideas are fairly personal, arguments can get heated. We would like to remind users that this is public discussion forum. The basic rule to follow is the golden rule: Treat others (and others' ideas) the way you'd like to yourself or your ideas be treated. Be fair and polite, using the same tone as a good referee report. Moderators may send warnings or ban users for not following this rule.
We expect that people will use their real names and email addresses in the login. The moderators may ask you to update your user information.
Follow the setup of the wiki in general — For example, if a section requests a concise summary, please keep it short. Moderators will be going through editing and wordsmithing to keep a uniform look.
Summary Table
Note: The low frequency radio range is defined to be from ~30 MHz to 3 GHz and the high frequency radio range is defined to be from 3 to 30 GHz.
The table is too wide to fit on all screens — Scroll right to see other columns.
| Name | Category | Progenitor | Type | Energy Mechanism | Emission Mechanism | LF Radio Counterpart | HF Radio Counterpart | Microwave Counterpart | THz Counterpart | OIR Counterpart | X ray Counterpart | Gamma ray Counterpart | GW Counterpart | Neutrino Counterpart | References | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS-WD Accretion | Accretion | NS-WD | Repeat | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes, but unlikely detectable | -- | -- | URL | None |
| AGN-KBH | AGN | AGN-KBH Interaction | Repeat | Maser | Synch. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | Supernova | -- | Yes | Yes | Yes | URL | Neutrinos from preceding SN and from collapse to BH. |
| AGN-SS | AGN | AGN-Strange Star Interaction | Repeat | Electron oscillation | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | Thermal | -- | Yes | Yes | Yes | URL | Neutrinos from preceding SN and from collapse to BH. GW from collapse and persistent GWs from SS. |
| Jet-Caviton | AGN | Jet-Caviton Interaction | Both | Electron scattering | Bremsst. | Yes | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | Possible GRB | Yes | -- | URL • URL | Persistent scintillating radio emission. |
| Wandering Beam | AGN | Wandering Beam | Repeat | -- | Synch. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |
| NS to BH (DM-Induced) | Collapse | NS to BH | Single | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes | -- | URL | None |
| NS to KNBH | Collapse | NS to KNBH | Single | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | Possible afterglow | Possible GRB | Yes | -- | URL • URL • URL | Possible X-ray afterglow and a short/long GRB created in NS birth prior to the FRB. |
| NS to Quark Star | Collapse | NS to Quark Star | Single | β-decay | Synch. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes | Yes | Yes | -- | URL | The burst is predicted to be several seconds, explainable if the de-dispersion process that stacks f |
| SS Crust | Collapse | Strange Star Crust | Single | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes | -- | URL | None |
| Axion Cloud and BH | Collision / Interaction | Superradiant Axion Cloud and BH | Repeat | Laser | Synch. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes | -- | URL | Observational counterparts could be associated with electron-positron annihilation and/or positroniu |
| Axion Minicluster and NS | Collision / Interaction | Axion Minicluster and NS | Single | Maser | Synch. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |
| Axion Quark Nugget and NS | Collision / Interaction | Axion Quark Nugget and NS | Repeat | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes | Possible | Possible | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |
| Axion Star and BH | Collision / Interaction | Axion Star and BH | Repeat | Electron oscillation | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |
| Axion Star and NS | Collision / Interaction | Axion Star and NS | Single | Electron oscillation | Coherent dipole radiations | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL • URL • URL • URL • URL | None |
| NS and Primordial BH | Collision / Interaction | NS and Primordial BH | Both | Mag. reconnection | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes | -- | URL | None |
| Small Body and Pulsar | Collision / Interaction | Small Body and Pulsar | Single | Maser | Synch. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |
| NS and Asteroid Belt | Collision/ Interaction | NS and Asteroid Belt | Repeat | Electron stripping | Curv. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes | -- | -- | URL • URL | None |
| NS and Asteroids/Comets | Collision/ Interaction | NS and Asteroids/ Comets | Single | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes (probably too faint to detect) | Yes (probably too faint to detect) | -- | -- | URL | None |
| Pulsar-BH Interaction | Interaction | Pulsar-BH | Single | -- | -- | Yes | ? | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes | -- | URL | |
| Annihilating Mini BHs | Inviable | Annihilating Mini BHs | Single | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | URL | None |
| Stellar Coronae | Inviable | Stellar Corona | Both | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | URL • URL | None |
| KNBH-BH (Inspiral) | Merger | KNBH-BH | Single | Mag. flux change | Curv. | Yes | Afterglow | -- | -- | -- | Yes | sGRB if jet aligned |
Yes | -- | URL | Unlikely to account for full FRB population. |
| KNBH-BH (Magneto. Collapse) | Merger | KNBH-BH | Single | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes | Afterglow | -- | -- | -- | -- | Afterglow | Yes | -- | URL | Can only account for a sub-population of FRBs. |
| NS-BH Merger | Merger | NS-BH | Single | BH battery | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes | Yes | Yes | -- | URL | None |
| NS-NS Merger (Mag. Braking) | Merger | NS-NS | Single | Mag. braking | -- | Yes | Yes | -- | -- | Kilonova | Afterglow | sGRB if jet aligned |
Yes | -- | URL | |
| NS-NS Merger (Mag. Flux Change) | Merger | NS-NS | Both | Mag. flux change | -- | Yes | Yes | -- | -- | Kilonova | Afterglow | sGRB if jet aligned |
Yes | -- | URL | In dense stellar clusters |
| NS-NS Merger (Mag. Reconnection) | Merger | NS-NS | Both | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes (excl. self absorption) | Yes | ? | ? | Kilonova | Afterglow | sGRB if jet aligned |
Yes | -- | URL | None |
| NS-WD Merger | Merger | NS-WD | Single | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | |
| WD-BH Merger | Merger | WD-BH | Single | Maser | Synch. | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes (transient accretion disk) | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |
| WD-WD Merger | Merger | WD-WD | Single | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | Supernova | Afterglow | -- | -- | -- | URL | -- |
| Young Magnetars | Merger/Collapse | Magnetars Born in BNS Mergers and WD Col | Repeat | Maser | Synch. | Yes | Afterglow | -- | -- | Possible SN | Afterglow | sGRB | Yes | -- | URL | Same mechanisms as flares, but magnetars born in mergers or collapse as opposed in to SLSNe or LGRBs |
| Alien Light Sails | Other | Alien Light Sails | Repeat | Artificial transmitter | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | Highly speculative. |
| DSR in Galaxies | Other | Dicke's Superradiance in Galaxies | Both | Dicke's Superradiance | Spectral line | Yes | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL • URL | -- |
| Magnetars with Low Magnetospheric Twist | Other | Magnetars with Low Magnetospheric Twist | Repeat | Mag. reconnection | Pulsar-like | Yes | --- | Maybe | Maybe | Maybe | Maybe | Unlikely detectable | --- | --- | URL • URL | Unlikely to form in Galactic magnetars. |
| Neutral Cosmic Strings | Other | Neutral Cosmic Strings | Single | Cusp decay | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |
| NS Combing | Other | NS Combing | Both | Various | Mag. reconnection | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL • URL | The model can apply to a variety of events, and thus counterparts will depend on the scenario. |
| Pulsar Lightning | Other | Pulsar Lightning | Repeat | Electrostatic | Curv. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |
| RDM Stars | Other | RDM Star | Both | Stimulated emission | Synch. | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | URL • URL | Repeaters are possible if multiple asteroids collide with the star |
| Starquakes | Other | Starquakes | Repeat | Mag. reconnection | Curv. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | Possible | Possible | Yes if pulsar jet aligned |
Yes, but unlikely detectable | -- | URL • URL | None |
| Superconducting Cosmic Strings | Other | Superconducting Cosmic Strings | Single | Cusp decay | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | GRB if jet aligned |
Yes | Yes | URL • URL • URL | High energy cosmic rays are also expected. |
| Tiny EM Explosions | Other | Tiny EM Explosions | Both | Thin shell interactions | Curv. | Yes | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | Unlikely observable | -- | -- | URL • URL | None |
| Variable Stars | Other | Variable Stars | Repeat | Undulator | Synch. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |
| Wandering Pulsar | Other | Wandering Pulsar Beams | Repeat | -- | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | Any counterparts will be associated with the pulsar, but are not specified. |
| White Holes | Other | White Holes | Single | -- | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | Yes | -- | Yes | -- | -- | URL • URL | None |
| Decelerating Blast Waves | Shock Interaction | Magnetar | Repeat | Thin shell | Synch. Maser | Yes (excl. self absorption) |
Yes | -- | -- | Possible, Prompt | Prompt | Prompt | No | No | URL | None |
| NS-SN Interaction | Shock Interaction | NS-SN Interaction | Single | Mag. reconnection | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | Supernova | -- | possible GRB (low flux) | -- | -- | URL | |
| MWN Shock (Clustered Flares) | SNR (Magnetars) | MWN Shock (Clustered Flares) | Repeat | Maser | Synch. | Yes | Afterglow | -- | -- | Possible bright optical | Yes but ~100 years later | Low energy gamma-rays, sGRB if jet aligned | Yes | -- | URL | FRB 121102 may by unlikely in this scenario. |
| MWN Shock (Single Flare) | SNR (Magnetars) | MWD Shock (Single Flare) | Single | Maser | Synch. | Yes | Afterglow | -- | -- | Maybe | -- | Low energy gamma-rays, sGRB if jet aligned | Yes | -- | URL • URL • URL | None |
| Giant Pulses | SNR (Pulsars) | Giant Pulses | Repeat | -- | Synch. / Curv. |
Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL • URL • URL | Rapid flux decay expected to be observed within a few years. |
| Pulsar Schwinger Pairs | SNR (Pulsars) | Pulsar Schwinger Pairs | Single | Schwinger | Curv. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |
| Pulsar Wind Bubble | SNR (Pulsars) | Pulsar Wind Bubble (NS and MWD) | Single | -- | Synch. | Yes | -- | -- | -- | -- | Yes | -- | -- | -- | URL | None |