AB INITIO PULSAR MAGNETOSPHERE: THREE-DIMENSIONAL PARTICLE-IN-CELL SIMULATIONS OF AXISYMMETRIC PULSARS

Journal Article · Sun Apr 20 00:00:00 EDT 2014 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/785/2/L33· OSTI ID:22365893

Philippov, Alexander A.; Spitkovsky, Anatoly ^[1]

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1. Department of Astrophysical Sciences, Princeton University, Peyton Hall, Ivy Lane, Princeton, NJ 08544 (United States)

We perform ''first-principles'' relativistic particle-in-cell simulations of aligned pulsar magnetosphere. We allow free escape of particles from the surface of a neutron star and continuously populate the magnetosphere with neutral pair plasma to imitate pair production. As pair plasma supply increases, we observe the transition from a charge-separated ''electrosphere'' solution with trapped plasma and no spin-down to a solution close to the ideal force-free magnetosphere with electromagnetically dominated pulsar wind. We calculate the magnetospheric structure, current distribution, and spin-down power of the neutron star. We also discuss particle acceleration in the equatorial current sheet.

• OSTI ID: 22365893
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 785, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ACCELERATION
AXIAL SYMMETRY
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MATHEMATICAL SOLUTIONS
NEUTRON STARS
PAIR PRODUCTION
PLASMA
PULSARS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
ROTATION
SPIN
STELLAR MAGNETOSPHERES
STELLAR WINDS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TRAPPING