How Soft Gamma Repeaters May Make Fast Radio Bursts
  There are several phenomenological similarities between Soft Gamma Repeaters
and Fast Radio Bursts, including duty factors, time scales and probable
repetition. The sudden release of magnetic energy in a neutron star
magnetosphere, as in popular models of SGR, can meet the energy requirements of
FRB but requires both the presence of magnetospheric plasma in order that
dissipation occur in a transparent region and a mechanism for releasing much of
that energy quickly. FRB sources and SGR are distinguished by long-lived (up to
thousands of years) current-carrying coronal arches remaining from formation of
the young neutron star and their decay ends the phase of SGR/AXP/FRB activity
even though "magnetar" fields may persist. Runaway increase in resistance when
the current density exceeds a threshold releases magnetostatic energy in a
sudden burst and produces high brightness GHz emission of FRB by a coherent
process; SGR are produced when released energy thermalizes as an equilibrium
pair plasma. Failures of some alternative FRB models and the non-detection of
SGR~1806-20 at radio frequencies are discussed in appendices.
