Production of an electron-positron plasma in a pulsar magnetosphere

Journal Article · Mon Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:6282443

Gurevich, A V; Istomin, Y N

A study is made of the production of electron-positron plasma in the vacuum state (''breakdown'' of the vacuum) in the presence of an inhomogeneous electric field and a strong curvilinear magnetic field. Such conditions are encountered in the magnetosphere of a rotating neutron star. A general system of kinetic equations is derived for the electrons, positrons, and el photons in the curvilinear magnetic field with allowance for the production of electron-positron pairs and the emission of curvature and synchrotron photons. The conditions of occurrence of ''breakdown'' are determined, and the threshold value of the jump in the value of the electric field at the surface of the star is found. The process of multiplication of particles in the magnetosphere is investigated, and the distribution functions of the electrons, positrons, and photons are found. The extinction limit of pulsars is determined. It is shown that the theory is in agreement with observational data.

• Research Organization: P. N. Lebedev Physics Institute, USSR Academy of Sciences
• OSTI ID: 6282443
• Journal Information: Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. Phys. - JETP (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 62:1; ISSN SPHJA
• 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
AMBIPLASMA
ATMOSPHERES
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
EMISSION
EQUATIONS
INTERACTIONS
KINETIC EQUATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PAIR PRODUCTION
PHOTON EMISSION
PLASMA
PULSARS
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR MAGNETOSPHERES