Probing the Radio-Transient Universe with CHIME

 Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are a new class of millisecond radio transients that seem to arise from extragalactic distances, making them at least 10^12 times more luminous than radio pulsars. The propagation of FRBs through the intergalactic medium makes them promising probes of the electron and magnetic field distributions in the Universe. The mechanisms that produce FRB signals are unknown and the subject of active debate. Distinguishing between these models, requires a careful understanding of the population and intrinsic characteristics of FRBs. The Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME) is a uniquely powerful monitor of FRBs due to its high sensitivity and a large 250 sq. deg. field-of-view that is efficiently searched using a sophisticated digital backend. In this talk, I describe the CHIME telescope, the FRB instrument built for real-time detection of FRBs, and the preliminary results from the past few months of full-scale operations. I will end by highlighting the power of the OWFA and GMRT as tools for FRB science.