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Swift X-ray Observations of the Repeating FRB 180916.J0158+65

ATel #13446; M. Tavani (INAF/IAPS & Univ. Roma Tor Vergata), F. Verrecchia (INAF/OAR & ASI/SSDC), C. Casentini (INAF/IAPS), M. Perri (INAF/OAR & ASI/SSDC), A. Ursi (INAF/IAPS), C. Pittori, F. Lucarelli (INAF/OAR & ASI/SSDC), M. Pilia, A. Corongiu (INAF/OA-Cagliari), G. Bernardi, G. Naldi, G. Pupillo (INAF/IRA), on behalf of a large Collaboration.
on 4 Feb 2020; 21:57 UT
Credential Certification: Francesco Verrecchia (francesco.verrecchia@asdc.asi.it)

Subjects: X-ray, Transient, Fast Radio Burst

Referred to by ATel #: 13492, 13493, 13589

We observed with Swift XRT and UVOT instruments the repeating Fast Radio Burst source FRB180916.J0158+65 (J2000 R.A., Dec.= 29.500, 65.733 deg) during a time interval of possible bursting radio pulse activity as indicated by the recent monitoring results of the CHIME/FRB Collaboration (Amiri et al. 2020, arXiv: 2001.10275v1).

Our X-ray observations are part of a coordinated multiwavelength campaign of this FRB that includes AGILE gamma-ray observations and simultaneous radio observations by the Sardinia Radio Telescope (SRT, operating at 1.5 GHz e 6.8 GHz) and by the Northern Cross radio telescope (408 MHz) in Medicina.

We observed the location of FRB180916.J0158+65 twice; on Feb. 3rd, 2020 in the time interval 18:44 - 19:12 UT for an effective 1677 s integration, and on Feb. 4th, 2020 in the intervals 15:43 - 16:00 UT and 17:00 - 17:19 UT for an effective total integration of 1966 s.

We obtained XRT data in Photon Counting (PC) mode: a preliminary analysis indicates that no uncatalogued X-ray source compatible with the FRB position was detected in both observations. For the Galactic HI column density value in the source direction (n_H = 7.1 x 10^21 cm^-2, Kalberla et al. 2005, A&A, 440, 775) and assuming a single power-law spectrum of photon index 2, we obtain the following 3-sigma upper limits (ULs) in the range 0.3-10 keV: 6.40 x 10^-3 counts/s (flux UL: 3.3 x 10^-13 erg/cm^2/s) for the first observation on Feb. 3rd; 4.68 x 10^-3 counts/s (flux UL: 2.4 x 10^-13 erg/cm^2/s) for the second set of observations on Feb. 4th.

Combining these observations we obtain an overall 3-sigma upper limit: 2.46 x 10^-3 counts/s (corresponding to a flux UL: 1.3 x 10^-13 erg/cm^2/s).

Additional analysis of UVOT data is in progress.

We encourage multifrequency observations of FRB180916.J0158+65. The Swift mission is part of NASA's medium explorer (MIDEX) program, led by NASA with participation of Italy and the UK. We thank the Swift Team for making these observations possible, in particular B. Cenko and B. Sbarufatti (Swift Observatory Duty Scientist).