Clumpy jets from black hole–massive star binaries as engines of fast radio bursts

Abstract

We propose a new model of fast radio bursts (FRBs) based on stellar-mass black hole-massive star binaries. We argue that the inhomogeneity of the circumstellar materials or/and the time varying wind activities of the stellar companion will cause the black hole to accrete at a transient super-Eddington rate. The collision among the clumpy ejecta in the resulted jet could trigger plasma instability. As a result, the plasma in the jet will emit coherent curvature radiation. When the jet cone aims toward the observer, the apparent luminosity can be 10(41)-10(42) erg s(-1). The duration of the resulted flare is similar to millisecond. The high event rate of the observed non-repeating FRBs can be explained. A similar scenario in the vicinity of a supermassive black hole can be used to explain the interval distribution of the repeating source FRB 121102 qualitatively.