Searching for radio emission from radio quiet magnetars with MeerKAT (2509.14043v1)

Abstract: Magnetars occupy the neutron star population, with magnetic field strengths of more than 10e12 G. They have been proposed as one of the most likely progenitor models for the phenomenon of energetic, ms-duration, extragalactic radio bursts (FRBs) intensively since FRB-like bursts emitted from the galactic Magnetar SGR 1935+2154. Only a low fraction of the magnetars (six in total) has been detected in the radio regime and most magnetars are radio quiet. We conducted regular observations of 13 radio quiet magnetars to probe the long term radio quietness using MeerKAT. These provide deep constraints on the radio emission of magnetars, relevant for the progenitor models of FRBs Given that MeerKAT is an interferometer, we probe the magnetars for radio emission in both imaging and time domain. We search in the time domain in a DM range of 20 pc/cm^3 to 10000 pc/cm^3 for single pulses using a TransientX based search pipeline (FRB perspective) as well as from a pulsar perspective by folding the data using the X-ray ephemeris. We use the imaging domain to search for radio emission in Stokes I and V as well as to create light curves using snapshot imaging having the long transient perspective as well. We find no radio emission in the time domain for any of the observed magnetars but provide deep limits of the mean flux density 60 uJy and the single pulse fluence of 39 mJy. From the image domain, we provide upper limits on the persistent radio radio emission and the light curve for the 13 magnetars. Additionally, an ULPT and an additional magnetar were observed in the images. We provide an extensive series of deep upper limits in the time domain but also as a novelty limits from the imaging domain for the magnetars. We encourage monitoring of radio quiet magnetars independent of their X-ray flux with high cadence for further insights in their potential for emitting in the radio regime.