A fast radio burst with frequency-dependent polarization detected during Breakthrough Listen observations

Here, we report on the detection and verification of fast radio burst FRB 180301, which occurred on UTC 2018 March 1 during the Breakthrough Listen observations with the Parkes telescope. Full-polarization voltage data of the detection were captured – a first for non-repeating FRBs – allowing for coherent de-dispersion and additional verification tests. The coherently de-dispersed dynamic spectrum of FRB 180301 shows complex, polarized frequency structure over a small fractional bandwidth. As FRB 180301 was detected close to the geosynchronous satellite band during a time of known 1–2 GHz satellite transmissions, we consider whether the burst was due to radio interference emitted or reflected from an orbiting object. Based on the pre-ponderance of our verification tests, we cannot conclusively determine FRB 180301 to be either astrophysical or anthropogenic in origin.We thank Jim Cordes, Jason Hessels, Simon Johnston, Dan Mertely, and Allison Rung for their comments and help. BL is managed by the Breakthrough Initiatives, sponsored by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation. The Parkes radio telescope is part of the Australia Telescope National Facility, which is funded by the Australian Government for operation as a National Facility managed by CSIRO. SkyMapper is owned and operated by the Australian National University’s Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics; the national facility capability is funded through Australian Research Council LIEF grant LE130100104. Support for IA was provided by NASA through the Einstein Fellowship Program, grant PF6-170148