Pelliciari, D.D.PelliciariBERNARDI, GianniGianniBERNARDIPILIA, MauraMauraPILIANALDI, GiovanniGiovanniNALDIPUPILLO, GiuseppeGiuseppePUPILLOTRUDU, MatteoMatteoTRUDUAddis, A.A.AddisBIANCHI, GermanoGermanoBIANCHIBORTOLOTTI, ClaudioClaudioBORTOLOTTIDALLACASA, DanieleDanieleDALLACASALulli, R.R.LulliMaccaferri, A.A.MaccaferriMagro, A.A.MagroMATTANA, AndreaAndreaMATTANAPERINI, FedericoFedericoPERINIROMA, MauroMauroROMASCHIAFFINO, MarcoMarcoSCHIAFFINOSetti, G.G.SettiTAVANI, MarcoMarcoTAVANIVERRECCHIA, FrancescoFrancescoVERRECCHIACASENTINI, ClaudioClaudioCASENTINI2024-05-282024-05-2820230004-6361http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12386/35137Context. Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond radio transients observed at cosmological distances. The nature of their progenitors is still a matter of debate, although magnetars are invoked by most models. The proposed FRB-magnetar connection was strengthened by the discovery of an FRB-like event from the Galactic magnetar SGR J1935+2154. Aims. In this work we aim to investigate how prevalent magnetars such as SGR J1935+2154 are within FRB progenitors. Methods. To this end, we carried out an FRB search in a sample of seven nearby (< 12 Mpc) galaxies with the Northern Cross Radio Telescope for a total of 692 h. Results. We detected one 1.8 ms burst in the direction of M 101 with a fluence of 58±5 Jy ms. Its dispersion measure of 303 pc cm3 places it most likely beyond M 101. Considering that no significant detection comes indisputably from the selected galaxies, we place a 38 yr1 upper limit on the total burst rate (i.e. including the whole sample) at the 95% confidence level. This upper limit constrains the event rate per magnetar to λmag < 0.42 magnetar1 yr1 or, if combined with literature observations of a similar sample of nearby galaxies, it yields a joint constraint of λmag < 0.25 magnetar1 yr1. We also provide the first constraints on the expected rate of FRBs hypothetically originating from ultra-luminous X-ray (ULX) sources, since some of the galaxies observed during our observational campaign host confirmed ULXs. We obtain < 13 yr1 per ULX for the total sample of galaxies observed. Conclusions. Our results indicate that bursts with energies Ea >a 1034 erg from magnetars such as SGR J1935+2154 appear more rarely compared to previous observations and further disfavour them as unique progenitors for the cosmological FRB population. This provides support to the idea that there is a greater contribution from a population of more exotic magnetars not born via core-collapsed supernovae.STAMPAenArticle10.1051/0004-6361/2023463072-s2.0-85164161780https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2023/06/aa46307-23/aa46307-23.htmlhttps://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85164161780FIS/05 - ASTRONOMIA E ASTROFISICAERC sectors::Physical Sciences and Engineering::PE9 Universe sciences: astro-physics/chemistry/biology; solar systems; stellar, galactic and extragalactic astronomy, planetary systems, cosmology, space science, instrumentation