Lunch talk on Apr. 13, 2026

A Persistently Active Repeating Fast Radio Burst

Speaker: Chenhui Niu (CCNU)

Venue: SWIFAR Building 2111

Time: 12:45 PM, Monday, Apr. 13, 2026

Abstract: 

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration, high-energy radio transients of unknown origin, whose large dispersion measures indicate extragalactic, and possibly cosmological, distances. With the rapid advancement of radio telescope capabilities, the number of detected FRBs has increased dramatically, greatly advancing studies of their physical origins and cosmological applications. However, most FRBs are one-off events, with fewer than 5% identified as repeaters; these active sources offer unique opportunities to explore their local environments and intrinsic properties. In this talk, we present the discovery of the first persistently active repeating source, FRB 20190520B, based on observations with the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), and review recent studies on the evolution of its propagation effects, its circumsource environment, and its possible binary origin. Finally, this talk will briefly introduce the progress of the CCNU–Hefeng Astronomical Observatory.