A search for the host galaxy of FRB171020
  We report on a search for the host galaxy of FRB171020, the fast radio burst
with the smallest recorded dispersion measure (DM $=114$ pc cm$^{-3}$) of our
on-ongoing ASKAP survey. The low DM confines the burst location within a
sufficiently small volume to rigorously constrain the identity of the host
galaxy. We identify 16 candidate galaxies in the search volume and single out
ESO 601-G036, a Sc galaxy at redshift $z=0.00867$, as the most likely host
galaxy. UV and optical imaging and spectroscopy reveal this galaxy has a
star-formation rate of approximately 0.1 M$_\odot$ yr$^{-1}$ and oxygen
abundance $12 + \log({\rm O/H}) = 8.3 \pm 0.2$, properties remarkably
consistent with the galaxy hosting the repeating FRB121102. However, in
contrast to FRB121102, follow-up radio observations of ESO 601-G036 show no
compact radio emission above a 5$\sigma$ limit of $L_{2.1{\rm GHz}}=3.6\times
10^{19}$ W Hz$^{-1}$. Using radio continuum observations of the field, combined
with archival optical imaging data, we find no analog to the persistent radio
source associated with FRB121102 within the localization region of FRB171020
out to $z=0.06$. These results suggest that FRBs are not necessarily associated
with a luminous and compact radio continuum source.
