Gamma-ray pulsars: Radiation processes in the outer magnetosphere
Technical Report
·
OSTI ID:200626
The authors describe an emission model for gamma ray pulsars based on curvature radiation-reaction limited charges in the outer magnetosphere. They show how pair production on thermal surface flux can limit the acceleration zones. Estimates for the efficiency of GeV photon production eta gamma and the gamma-ray beaming fraction are derived, including their dependence on pulsar parameters. In general eta gamma increases with pulsar age, but is decreased for low magnetic fields and for small magnetic inclinations. They argue that this produces GeV pulse profiles, curvature spectra and detection statistics consistent with the observations. They also describe the optical through X-ray pulsar synchrotron spectrum and the spectral variations with pulsar phase. A test computation for Vela-like parameters reproduces phase-resolved GeV spectra consistent with those observed by EGRET. Finally they comment on very high energy pulsed emission and particle production and note extensions needed to allow a more complete pulsar model.
- Research Organization:
- Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 200626
- Report Number(s):
- N--96-19051; NASA-CR--200225; NAS--1.26:200225; NIPS--96-08472; CNN: NAGW-2963; NAGW-4526
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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