The Euclidean distribution of Fast Radio Bursts

TL;DR

This paper tests whether the observed flux distribution of Fast Radio Bursts aligns with a Euclidean space model, finding consistency and setting new limits on FRB rates at 1.4 GHz.

Contribution

It provides the first formal test of the Euclidean distribution hypothesis for FRBs using survey data and improves constraints on FRB rates at 1.4 GHz.

Findings

Data are consistent with a Euclidean flux distribution.

Extended models are not supported by current data.

New limits on FRB rates at 1.4 GHz are established.

Abstract

We investigate whether current data on the distribution of observed flux densities of Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) are consistent with a constant source density in Euclidean space. We use the number of FRBs detected in two surveys with different characteristics along with the observed signal-to-noise ratios of the detected FRBs in a formalism similar to a V/V_max-test to constrain the distribution of flux densities. We find consistency between the data and a Euclidean distribution. Any extension of this model is therefore not data-driven and needs to be motivated separately. As a byproduct we also obtain new improved limits for the FRB rate at 1.4 GHz, which had not been constrained in this way before.