Year: 2016
Type: article
Abstract: We make three assumptions: fast radio bursts (FRBs) are produced by neutron stars at cosmological distances; FRB rate tracks the core-collapse supernova rate; and all FRBs repeat with a universal energy distribution function (EDF) $\mathrm{d}\dot{N}/\mathrm{d}E \propto E^{-\beta }$ with a cutoff at burst energy Emax. We then find that observations so far are consistent with a universal EDF with 1.5 ≲ β ≲ 2.2, high-end cutoff Emax/E0 ≳ 30 and normalization $\dot{N}_0 \lesssim 2\rm \ d^{-1}$; where $\dot{N}_0$ is the integrated rate above the reference energy $E_0 \simeq 1.2\times 10^{39} f_{\rm r}^{-1} \rm \ erg$ (fr is the radio emission efficiency). Implications of such an EDF are discussed.
Authors: Wenbin Lu, Pawan Kumar
Institution: The University of Texas at Austin
Language: English
Subfield: Astronomy and Astrophysics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2403735940