Energy function, formation rate, and low-metallicity environment of fast radio bursts

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate the energy function, formation rate and environment of fast radio bursts (FRBs) using Parkes sample and Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) sample. For the first time, the metallicity effect on the formation rate is considered. If FRBs are produced by the mergers of compact binaries, the formation rate of FRBs should have a time delay relative to cosmic star formation rate (CSFR). We get the time delay is about 3-5 Gyr and the index of differential energy function $\gamma$ ($dN/dE\propto E^{-\gamma}$) is between 1.6 and 2.0 from redshift cumulative distribution. The value of $\gamma$ is similar to that of FRB 121102, which indicates single bursts may share the same physical mechanism with the repeaters. In another case, if the formation rate of FRB is proportional to the SFR without time delay, the index $\gamma$ is about 2.3. In both cases, we find that FRBs may prefer to occur in low-metallicity environment with $ 12 +\log(\rm{O/H}) \simeq 8.40$, which is similar to those of long gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and hydrogen-poor superluminous supernovae (SLSNe-I).