Pulsar magnetosphere-wind or wave

Journal Article · Thu Nov 01 04:00:00 EST 1979 · AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.32096· OSTI ID:5339162

Kennel, C F

The structure of both the interior and exterior pulsar magnetosphere depends upon the strength of its plasma source near the surface of the star. We review wave models of exterior pulsar magnetospheres in the light of a vacuum pair-production source model proposed by Sturrock, and Ruderman and Sutherland. This model predicts the existence of a cutoff, determined by the neutron star's spin rate and magnetic field strenght, beyond which coherent radio emission is no longer possible. Since the observed distribution of pulsar spin periods and period derivatives, and the distribution of pulsars with missing radio pulses, is consistent with the pair production threshold, those neutron stars observed as radio pulsars can have relativistic magnetohydrodynamic wind exterior magnetospheres, and cannot have relativistic plasma wave exterior magnetospheres. On the other hand, most erstwhile pulsars in the galaxy are probably halo objects that emit weak fluxes of energetic photons that can have relativistic wave exterior magnetospheres. Extinct pulsars have not been yet observed.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics, Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, and Center for Plasma Physics and Fusion Engineering, University of California, Los Angeles, California 90024
• OSTI ID: 5339162
• Journal Information: AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States), Journal Name: AIP Conf. Proc.; (United States) Vol. 56:1; ISSN APCPC
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
640103 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Quasi-Stellar
Radio
& X-Ray Sources-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
INTERACTIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
NEUTRON STARS
PAIR PRODUCTION
PULSARS
RADIATIONS
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
STAR MODELS
STARS
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR MAGNETOSPHERES