A τ –DM Relation for Fast Radio Burst Hosts?

Abstract It has been proposed that measurements of scattering times ( τ ) from fast radio bursts (FRBs) may be used to infer the FRB host dispersion measure (DM) and its redshift. This approach relies on the existence of a correlation between τ and DM within FRB hosts such as that observed for Galactic pulsars. We assess the measurability of a τ –DM host relation through simulated observations of FRBs within the Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP)/Commensal Real-time ASKAP Fast Transients (CRAFT) survey, taking into account instrumental effects. We show that even when the FRB hosts intrinsically follow the τ –DM relation measured for pulsars, this correlation cannot be inferred from FRB observations; this limitation arises mostly from the large variance around the average cosmic DM value given by the Macquart relation, the variance within the τ –DM relation itself, and observational biases against large τ values. We argue that theoretical relations have little utility as priors on redshift, e.g., for purposes of galaxy identification, and that the recent lack of an observed correlation between scattering and DM in the ASKAP/CRAFT survey is not unexpected, even if our understanding of a τ –DM host relation is correct.