2016MNRAS.461L.122L

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) d{dot}N/dE ∝E^{-β} with a cutoff at burst energy E_max. We then find that observations so far are consistent with a universal EDF with 1.5 <= β <= 2.2, high-end cutoff E_max/E0 >= 30 and normalization {dot}N_0 \lesssim 2 d^{-1}; where {dot}N_0 is the integrated rate above the reference energy E_0 ≃1.2×10^{39} f_r^{-1} erg (f_r is the radio emission efficiency). Implications of such an EDF are discussed.