Casey Law edited revision.tex  almost 10 years ago

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Figures \ref{recalcrate5} and \ref{recalcrate1} show the measured FRB rate for all four publications with detections for assumed pulse widths of 5 and 1 ms, respectively. \citet{bsb} and \citet{petroff} have found a significant deficit of FRB detections at low Galactic latitudes, suggesting that FRBs originate from beyond the Galaxy. All detections in Figures \ref{recalcrate5} and \ref{recalcrate1} have been made in regions with relatively low Galactic dispersion (either high latitude or outer Galaxy), so even before correction for Galactic effects, these rates are close approximations to the VLA FRB target fields. One possible exception is the rate of \citet{2007Sci...318..777L}, which did not define an overall SNR limit for their search. We assume a $7\sigma$ limit as in other Parkes surveys, but this is likely optimistic, so this point should likely be placed further right in the plot.  The figures show the range of constraints of the current and full VLA FRB observing. The temporal width of FRBs introduces the  largest uncertainty in estimating the FRB our  rate is the apparent temporal width. estimate.  The published FRBs have widths ranging from roughly 1 to 10 ms with a mean of about 4 ms. The physical process defining these widths is not clear, but the VLA should see similar or larger widths, due to its higher sensitivity and implied distance horizon for cosmological events.