Parkes observations for project P892 semester 2016OCTS_BPSR_17

SUPERBx is an extension to the SUPERB survey which looks at the highest Galactic latitudes in a search for fast radio bursts (FRBs). Our most recent results show that there is a strong Galactic latitude dependence to FRB detectability with the detection rate being 4 times higher ~45 degrees and higher above the plane; this is where SUPERBx will focus its efforts from now on. SUPERBx uses optimised GPU codes to search for pulsars and fast radio bursts (FRBs), making discoveries in real time. Handling our data as it comes in is essential for the SKA Phase I era so this work applies directly to the high-data rates of next generation telescopes. The FRBs discovered (we have already discovered four FRBs in this project) will have much more associated information than all previous detections. Firstly our discovery lag is ~1 second, rather than months/years. The Parkes observations will be shadowed by other radio telescopes (in particular the refurbished Molonglo which has now reached a level of performance where it has independently discovered 3 FRBs in 2016) to allow localisation of the discovered FRBs, and a host of optical and high-energy telescopes will then be triggered as appropriate. This is key for identifying FRB host galaxies, so as to solve the mystery of their progenitors and to exploit their many uses as tools for precision cosmology measurements.

SUPERBx是SUPERB巡天项目的扩展，旨在通过观测最高银纬区域搜寻快速射电暴（FRBs）。最新研究结果表明，FRB的可探测性存在显著的银纬依赖性——在银道面以上约45度及更高纬度处，探测率高出4倍；这正是SUPERBx今后的重点研究方向。SUPERBx采用优化的GPU代码实时搜索脉冲星与快速射电暴（FRBs），并实现实时发现。鉴于平方公里阵列射电望远镜（SKA）第一阶段时代对实时处理传入数据的迫切需求，本项工作可直接应用于下一代望远镜的高数据率场景。该项目已发现的FRBs拥有比以往所有探测更为丰富的关联信息：其一，发现延迟仅约1秒，而非数月或数年；其二，Parkes望远镜的观测将由其他射电望远镜（尤其是翻新后的Molonglo望远镜——其2016年已独立发现3个FRBs，性能达到相应水平）同步跟踪，以实现FRBs的定位；随后，将酌情触发一系列光学及高能望远镜。这对于确定FRB的宿主星系、解开其起源之谜，以及将其作为精密宇宙学测量工具的多种应用而言，均具有关键意义。