Probing diffuse baryons with fast radio bursts

Probing diffuse baryons with fast radio bursts

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are bright, millisecond-duration radio pulses of extragalactic origin whose physical nature remains mysterious. Despite their enigmatic origin, FRBs have rapidly emerged as powerful new probes of diffuse baryons in the Universe. In this talk, I will introduce the basic phenomenology of FRBs and explain how these pulses can be used to directly constrain the properties of ionized matter along their lines of sight, including the intergalactic and circumgalactic media. In particular, I will emphasize the complementarity of FRBs with both traditional and emerging probes of diffuse baryons, such as quasar absorption-line studies and gravitational-arc tomography. Finally, I will discuss the prospects of upcoming FRB surveys and targeted follow-up campaigns, highlighting the transformative potential of FRBs as astrophysical and cosmological tools.

Sebastián López
Coordinador de Coloquios
DAS/UChile  – slopez@das.uchile.cl