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Optical pulse polarization of the Crab pulsar

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/178023· OSTI ID:467182
 [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Theoretical Astrophysics Group, MS B288, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
  2. Astrophysics and Radiation Measurement Group, MS D436, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
The strong optical emission of the Crab pulsar allows us to study the polarization properties in detail. Optical pulsed emission can best be understood as synchrotron radiation of relativistic electron-positron pairs in the outer magnetosphere. We calculate the polarization properties of the optical pulses based on the outer gap model, which has explained much of the observed properties of this pulsar. We find that the calculated polarization profiles exhibit the same qualitative behaviors as the observations for a large range in parameter space. It seems that the optical polarizations do not constrain strongly on the Crab pulsar{close_quote}s emission geometry. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Astronomical Society.}
OSTI ID:
467182
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 471; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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