Propagation effects in a shearing field-free plasma and pulsar microstructure

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/157392· OSTI ID:5842742

Harding, A K; Tademaru, E

The propagation of time-dependent polarized radiation through a cold, field-free plasma with relativistic velocity shear is investigated. Numerical calculations of the transport of a linearly polarized Gaussian pulse through a model shearing medium show that the transmitted wave packet in one polarization breaks up into quasi-periodic peaks modulated by a dispersed envelope. Because the shearing plasma is birefringent, the polarization of the transmitted radiation can also show a time-dependent structure, including orthogonal mode switching and circular polarization. These polarization characteristics are similar to those of observed microstructure in pulsar radio emission. It is shown that these effects are also present in a shot-noise model for the incident radiation, suggesting that the micropulse amplitude modulations may result from propagation through magnetospheric shearing regions.

• Research Organization: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
• OSTI ID: 5842742
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 233:1; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640102* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA
POLARIZATION
PULSARS
RADIATIONS
SHEAR PROPERTIES
STAR MODELS
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR MAGNETOSPHERES
WAVE PACKETS
WAVE PROPAGATION