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Abstract We report on a full-polarization analysis of the first 25 as yet nonrepeating fast radio bursts (FRBs) detected at 1.4 GHz by the 110-antenna Deep Synoptic Array (DSA-110) during commissioning observations. We present details of the data-reduction, calibration, and analysis procedures developed for this novel instrument. Faraday rotation measures (RMs) are searched between ±10⁶rad m⁻²and detected for 20 FRBs, with magnitudes ranging from 4 to 4670 rad m⁻². Fifteen out of 25 FRBs are consistent with 100% polarization, 10 of which have high (≥70%) linear-polarization fractions and two of which have high (≥30%) circular-polarization fractions. Our results disfavor multipath RM scattering as a dominant depolarization mechanism. Polarization-state and possible RM variations are observed in the four FRBs with multiple subcomponents. We combine the DSA-110 sample with polarimetry of previously published FRBs, and compare the polarization properties of FRB subpopulations and FRBs with Galactic pulsars. Although FRB polarization fractions are typically higher than those of Galactic pulsars, and cover a wider range than those of pulsar single pulses, they resemble those of the youngest (characteristic ages <10⁵yr) pulsars. Our results support a scenario wherein FRB emission is intrinsically highly linearly polarized, and propagation effects can result in conversion to circular polarization and depolarization. Young pulsar emission and magnetospheric propagation geometries may form a useful analogy for the origin of FRB polarization. 

Abstract Faraday rotation measures (RMs) of fast radio bursts (FRBs) offer the prospect of directly measuring extragalactic magnetic fields. We present an analysis of the RMs of 10 as yet nonrepeating FRBs detected and localized to host galaxies with robust redshift measurements by the 63-antenna prototype of the Deep Synoptic Array (DSA-110). We combine this sample with published RMs of 15 localized FRBs, nine of which are repeating sources. For each FRB in the combined sample, we estimate the host-galaxy dispersion measure (DM) contributions and extragalactic RM. We find compelling evidence that the extragalactic components of FRB RMs are often dominated by contributions from the host-galaxy interstellar medium (ISM). Specifically, we find that both repeating and as yet nonrepeating FRBs show a correlation between the host DM and host RM in the rest frame, and we find an anticorrelation between extragalactic RM (in the observer frame) and redshift for nonrepeaters, as expected if the magnetized plasma is in the host galaxy. Important exceptions to the ISM origin include a dense, magnetized circumburst medium in some repeating FRBs, and the intracluster medium of host or intervening galaxy clusters. We find that the estimated ISM magnetic-field strengths, ${\overline{B}}_{\mid \mid }$ , are characteristically ∼1–2μG larger than those inferred from Galactic radio pulsars. This suggests either increased ISM magnetization in FRB hosts in comparison with the Milky Way, or that FRBs preferentially reside in regions of increased magnetic-field strength within their hosts. 

Abstract The stellar population environments that are associated with fast radio burst (FRB) sources provide important insights for developing their progenitor theories. We expand the diversity of known FRB host environments by reporting two FRBs in massive galaxy clusters that were discovered by the Deep Synoptic Array (DSA-110) during its commissioning observations. FRB 20220914A has been localized to a star-forming, late-type galaxy at a redshift of 0.1139 with multiple starbursts at lookback times less than ∼3.5 Gyr in the A2310 galaxy cluster. Although the host galaxy of FRB 20220914A is similar to typical FRB hosts, the FRB 20220509G host stands out as a quiescent, early-type galaxy at a redshift of 0.0894 in the A2311 galaxy cluster. The discovery of FRBs in both late- and early-type galaxies adds to the body of evidence that the FRB sources have multiple formation channels. Therefore, even though FRB hosts are typically star-forming, there must exist formation channels that are consistent with old stellar population in galaxies. The varied star formation histories of the two FRB hosts that we report here indicate a wide delay-time distribution of FRB progenitors. Future work in constraining the FRB delay-time distribution, using the methods that we develop herein, will prove crucial in determining the evolutionary histories of FRB sources. 

Abstract The hot gas that constitutes the intracluster medium (ICM) has been studied at X-ray and millimeter/submillimeter wavelengths (Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect) for decades. Fast radio bursts (FRBs) offer an additional method of directly measuring the ICM and gas surrounding clusters via observables such as dispersion measure (DM) and Faraday rotation measure. We report the discovery of two FRB sources detected with the Deep Synoptic Array whose host galaxies belong to massive galaxy clusters. In both cases, the FRBs exhibit excess extragalactic DM, some of which likely originate in the ICM of their respective clusters. FRB 20220914A resides in the galaxy cluster A2310 at z = 0.1125 with a projected offset from the cluster center of 520 ± 50 kpc. The host of a second source, FRB 20220509G, is an elliptical galaxy at z = 0.0894 that belongs to the galaxy cluster A2311 at the projected offset of 870 ± 50 kpc. These sources represent the first time an FRB has been localized to a galaxy cluster. We combine our FRB data with archival X-ray, Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (SZ), and optical observations of these clusters in order to infer properties of the ICM, including a measurement of gas temperature from DM and y SZ of 0.8–3.9 keV. We then compare our results to massive cluster halos from the IllustrisTNG simulation. Finally, we describe how large samples of localized FRBs from future surveys will constrain the ICM, particularly beyond the virial radius of clusters. 

Abstract We report the detection and interferometric localization of the repeating fast radio burst (FRB) source FRB 20220912A during commissioning observations with the Deep Synoptic Array (DSA-110). Two bursts were detected from FRB 20220912A, one each on 2022 October 18 and 2022 October 25. The best-fit position is (R.A. J2000, decl. J2000) = (23:09:04.9, +48:42:25.4), with a 90% confidence error ellipse with radii ±2″ and ±1″ in R.A. and decl., respectively. The two bursts are polarized, and we find a Faraday rotation measure that is consistent with the low value of +0.6 rad m −2 reported by CHIME/FRB. The DSA-110 localization overlaps with the galaxy PSO J347.2702+48.7066 at a redshift z = 0.0771, which we identify as the likely host. PSO J347.2702+48.7066 has a stellar mass of approximately 10 10 M ⊙ , modest internal dust extinction, and a star formation rate likely in excess of 0.1 M ⊙ yr −1 . The host-galaxy contribution to the dispersion measure is likely ≲50 pc cm −3 . The FRB 20220912A source is therefore likely viewed along a tenuous plasma column through the host galaxy. 

In very-long baseline interferometric arrays, nearly co-located stations probe the largest scales and typically cannot resolve the observed source. In the absence of a large-scale structure, closure phases constructed with these stations are zero and, since they are independent of station-based errors, they can be used to probe data issues. Here, we show how these trivial closure phases become nonzero with a brightness distribution on smaller scales than their short baseline would suggest. When applied to sources that are made up of a bright compact and large-scale diffuse component, the trivial closure phases directly measure the centroid relative to the compact source and higher-order image moments. We present a technique to measure these image moments with minimal model assumptions and validate it on synthetic Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) data. We then apply this technique to 2017 and 2018 EHT observations of M87^*and find a weak preference for extended emission in the direction of the large-scale jet. We also apply it to 2021 EHT data and measure the source centroid about 1 mas northwest of the compact ring, which is consistent with the jet observed at lower frequencies. 

Context.Sagittarius A* (Sgr A^*), the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way, provides a unique laboratory to study accretion dynamics and plasma processes near the event horizon. Aims.We investigated the variability and polarization properties of Sgr A^*using ALMA observations during the 2018 Event Horizon Telescope campaign. Methods.We analyzed high-cadence full-polarization light curves from ALMA at millimeter wavelengths, performed time-series analysis, and investigated the temporal behavior during an X-ray flare observed byChandraon 2018 April 24. The variability characteristics are compared with expectations from standard accretion flow models. Results.We find low variability in total intensity (σ/μ < 10%), but significantly higher variability in linear and circular polarization (∼30% and ∼50%, respectively). A time-series analysis reveals red-noise variability, with power spectral densities between −2 and −3 across all Stokes parameters. Polarized intensity shows stable intra-day timescales, while total intensity exhibits more variable timescales, suggesting distinct emission regions, with polarization likely arising from a coherent structure. On April 24, a statistically significant inter-band delay in polarized intensity coincides with a near-simultaneous X-ray and millimeter peak that deviates from the typical delayed flare scenario. This event also features enhanced millimeter variability and coherent polarization loop evolution. The observed simultaneity challenges standard models of transient synchrotron emission with cooling delays, favoring instead a scenario of continuous energy injection in an optically thin region. Conclusions.Our results offer new constraints on the physical mechanisms driving variability in Sgr A^*, and provide key observational input for refining theoretical models of accretion and plasma behavior in the vicinity of supermassive black holes. 

We investigate the presence and spatial characteristics of the jet base emission in M87* at 230 GHz, enabled by the significantly enhanced (u,v) coverage in the 2021 Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) observations. The integration of the 12−m Kitt Peak Telescope (USA) and NOEMA (France) stations into the array introduces two critical intermediate-length baselines to SMT (USA) and IRAM 30−m (Spain), providing sensitivity to emission structures at spatial scales of ∼250 μas and ∼2500 μas (∼ 0.02 pc and ∼ 0.02 pc). Without these new baselines, previous EHT observations of the source in 2017 and 2018 lacked the capability to constrain emission on large scales, where a “missing flux” of order ∼1 Jy is expected to reside. To probe these scales, we analyzed closure phases–robust against station-based gain calibration errors–and model the jet base emission using a simple Gaussian component offset from the compact ring emission at spatial separations > 100 μas. Our analysis revealed a Gaussian feature centered at (ΔRA ≈ 320 μas, ΔDec. ≈ 60 μ as), projected separation of ≈ 5500 AU, with an estimated flux density of only ∼60 mJy, implying that most of the missing flux identified in previous EHT studies had to originate from different, larger scales. Brighter emission at the relevant spatial scales is firmly ruled out, and the data do not favor more complex models. This component aligns with the inferred position of the large-scale jet and is therefore physically consistent with the emission of the jet base. While our findings point to detectable jet base emission at 230 GHz, the limited coverage provided by only two intermediate baselines limits our ability to robustly reconstruct its morphology. Consequently, we treated the recovered Gaussian as an upper limit on the jet base flux density. Future EHT observations with expanded intermediate baseline coverage will be essential to constrain the structure and nature of this component with higher precision. 

Aims.We investigated the polarization and Faraday properties of Messier 87 (M87) and seven other radio-loud active galactic nuclei (AGNs) atλ0.87 mm (345 GHz) using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Our goal was to characterize the linear polarization (LP) fractions, measure Faraday rotation measures (RMs), and examine the magnetic field structures in the emission regions of these AGNs. Methods.We conducted full-polarization observations as part of the ALMA Band 7 very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) commissioning during the April 2021 Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) campaign. We analyzed the LP fractions and RMs to assess the nature of Faraday screens and magnetic fields in the submillimeter emission regions. Results.We find LP fractions between 1% and 17% and RMs exceeding 10⁵ rad m⁻², which are 1–2 orders of magnitude higher than typically observed at longer wavelengths (λ>3 mm). This suggests denser Faraday screens or stronger magnetic fields. Additionally, we present the first submillimeter polarized images of the M87 jet and the observed AGNs, revealing RM gradients and sign reversals in the M87 jet indicative of a kiloparsec-scale helical magnetic field structure. Conclusions.Our results provide essential constraints for calibrating, analyzing, and interpreting VLBI data from the EHT at 345 GHz, representing a critical step toward submillimeter VLBI imaging. 

We investigate the origin of the elliptical ring structure observed in the images of the supermassive black hole M87^*, aiming to disentangle contributions from gravitational, astrophysical, and imaging effects. Leveraging the enhanced capabilities of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT)'s 2018 array, including improved (u,v)-coverage from the Greenland Telescope, we measured the ring's ellipticity using five independent imaging methods, obtaining a consistent average value ofτ = 0.08_−0.02^+0.03with a position angle ofξ = 50.1_−7.6^+6.2 degrees. To interpret this measurement, we compared it to general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations spanning a wide range of physical parameters including the thermal or nonthermal electron distribution function, spins, and ion-to-electron temperature ratios in both low- and high-density regions. We find no statistically significant correlation between spin and ellipticity in GRMHD images. Instead, we identify a correlation between ellipticity and the fraction of non-ring emission, particularly in nonthermal models and models with higher jet emission. These results indicate that the ellipticity measured from the M87^*emission structure is consistent with that expected from simulations of turbulent accretion flows around black holes, where it is dominated by astrophysical effects rather than gravitational ones. Future high-resolution imaging, including space very long baseline interferometry and long-term monitoring, will be essential to isolate gravitational signatures from astrophysical effects.