THE ROLE OF SUPERLUMINAL ELECTROMAGNETIC WAVES IN PULSAR WIND TERMINATION SHOCKS

Journal Article · Mon Jun 10 04:00:00 EDT 2013 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/770/1/18· OSTI ID:22127175

Amano, Takanobu ^[1]

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1. Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-0033 (Japan)

The dynamics of a standing shock front in a Poynting-flux-dominated relativistic flow is investigated by using a one-dimensional, relativistic, two-fluid simulation. An upstream flow containing a circularly polarized, sinusoidal magnetic shear wave is considered, mimicking a wave driven by an obliquely rotating pulsar. It is demonstrated that this wave is converted into large-amplitude electromagnetic waves with superluminal phase speeds by interacting with the shock when the shock-frame frequency of the wave exceeds the proper plasma frequency. The superluminal waves propagate in the upstream, modify the shock structure substantially, and form a well-developed precursor region ahead of a subshock. Dissipation of Poynting flux occurs in the precursor as well as in the downstream region through a parametric instability driven by the superluminal waves. The Poynting flux remaining in the downstream region is carried entirely by the superluminal waves. The downstream plasma is therefore an essentially unmagnetized, relativistically hot plasma with a non-relativistic flow speed, as suggested by observations of pulsar wind nebulae.

• OSTI ID: 22127175
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 770; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
AMPLITUDES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
HOT PLASMA
LANGMUIR FREQUENCY
NEBULAE
ONE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
PARAMETRIC INSTABILITIES
PRECURSOR
PULSARS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
SIMULATION
STARS
STELLAR WINDS
VELOCITY