Damping of Fast Radio Bursts in the Inner Magnetospheres of Magnetars

We investigate the propagation of fast radio bursts (FRBs) through magnetar magnetospheres. Previous work showed that, in the inner magnetosphere, GHz radio waves propagate as fast magnetosonic waves and undergo resonant three-wave interactions that transfer their energy into trapped Alfvén waves. Using three-dimensional force-free electrodynamics simulations, we demonstrate that FRBs would excite Alfvénic fluctuations, leading to strong nonlinear attenuation of the radio signal. In quiescent dipolar magnetospheres, the nonlinear decay stays efficient within sim10--100 magnetar radii; charge starvation of the excited Alfvén waves stops the decay at larger radii. For FRBs propagating within relativistic magnetic outflows launched during magnetospheric eruptions, three-wave interactions remain efficient and constrain the escape radius to gtrsim10^2--10^3 magnetar radii for luminous bursts. Our results confirm that nonlinear plasma processes strongly limit the escape of FRBs from the inner magnetospheres of magnetars.