FRB Strength Distribution Challenges the Cosmological Principle

Abstract

The distribution of FRB fluxes and fluences is characterized by a few very bright events and a deficiency of fainter events compared to expectations for a homogeneous space-filling distribution. I define a metric to quantify this, and apply it to the 17 presently known Parkes FRB, products of a comparatively homogeneous search. With 98\% confidence we reject the hypothesis of a homogeneous distribution in Euclidean space. Possible explanations include a reduction of fainter events by cosmological redshifts or evolution or a cosmologically local concentration of events. The former is opposed by the small value of the one known FRB redshift. The latter contradicts the Cosmological Principle, but may be explained if the brighter FRB originate in the Local Supercluster.

5 pp, 4 figs Expanded discussion of uncertainties and biases; conclusions unchanged

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