Potential drops above pulsar polar caps: Ultrarelativistic particle acceleration along the curved magnetic field

Journal Article · Mon May 15 00:00:00 EDT 1978 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/156144· OSTI ID:6782698

Scharlemann, E T; Arons, J; Fawley, W M

We investigate the electrostatic acceleration of relativistic particles by pulsars. The model studied is the steady flow of nonneutral plasma along the narrow tube of curved open field lines, well within the light cylinder of a rotating, magnetized, isolated neutron star. We assume negligible binding of the charges in the solid surface. When the magnetic field is strictly dipolar and the magnetic axis is orthogonal to the rotation axis, we obtain large acceleration at high altitudes. The large electrostatic acceleration is due primarily to the effects of field line curvature. We use this acceleration to find that pair creation may have negligible effects on the potential if the proper conditions are met. We also investigate the effects of higher multipole moments in the magnetic field. The ..gamma..-ray luminosity of the neutron star without pair creation is briefly discussed, as well as the total energy available for particle acceleration and the total energy loss from the star. We show that, when the magnetic axis and the rotation axis are either aligned or oblique, such that the angle between the axes is less than (..pi../2-theta/sub c/), no steady (as measured in the corotating frame), unidirectional flow exists when the plasma is completely charge separated. This inconsistency occurs entireley because of the field line curvature.

• Research Organization: Astronomy Department, University of Califronia, Berkeley
• OSTI ID: 6782698
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 222:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
PULSARS
PLASMA ACCELERATION
STAR MODELS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTROSTATICS
GAMMA RADIATION
GREEN FUNCTION
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
NEUTRON STARS
RELATIVITY THEORY
ROTATION
ACCELERATION
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
FIELD THEORIES
FLUID MECHANICS
FUNCTIONS
GENERAL RELATIVITY THEORY
HYDRODYNAMICS
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
MOTION
RADIATIONS
STARS
640102* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Stars & Quasi-Stellar
Radio & X-Ray Sources