Journal Article

PUBDB-2023-00772

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png A new method for short duration transient detection in radio images: Searching for transient sources in MeerKAT observations of NGC 5068

Fijma, S. (Corresponding author) ; Rowlinson, A. ; Wijers, R. ; de Ruiter, I. ; de Blok, W. ; Chastain, S. ; van der Horst, A. J. ; Meyers, Z. S.Extern*DESY* ; van der Meulen, K. ; Fender, R. ; Woudt, P. A.

2024
Oxford Univ. Press Oxford

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Please use a persistent id in citations: doi:10.1093/mnras/stae382  doi:10.3204/PUBDB-2023-00772

Abstract: Transient surveys are a vital tool in exploring the dynamic Universe, with radio transients acting as beacons for explosive and highly energetic astrophysical phenomena. However, performing commensal transient surveys using radio imaging can require a significant amount of computing power, data storage, and time. With the instrumentation available to us, and with new and exciting radio interferometers in development, it is essential that we develop efficient methods to probe the radio transient sky. In this paper, we present results from a commensal short-duration transient survey, on time-scales of 8 s, 128 s, and 1 h, using data from the MeerKAT radio telescope. The data set used was obtained as part of a galaxy observing campaign, and we focus on the field of NGC 5068. We present a quick, wide-field imaging strategy to enable fast imaging of large data sets, and develop methods to efficiently filter detected transient candidates. No transient candidates were identified on the time-scales of 8 s, 128 s, and 1 h, leading to competitive limits on the transient surface densities of ⁠, ⁠, and deg−1 at sensitivities of 56.4, 19.2, and 3.9 mJy following primary beam correction for the respective time-scales. We find one possible candidate that could be associated with a stellar flare, which was rejected due to strict image quality control. Further short time-scale radio observations of this candidate could give definite results about its origin.

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Contributing Institute(s):

1. RADIO (Z-RAD)

Research Program(s):

1. 613 - Matter and Radiation from the Universe (POF4-613) (POF4-613)

Experiment(s):

1. The Radio Neutrino Observatory in Greenland

Appears in the scientific report 2024

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