2007/08/07 by Maxim Lyutikov, M. Lyutikov, Ye-Fei Yuan +2 · 1 citation
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #Electrical and Electromagnetic Research #Geophysics and Sensor Technology #Pulsars and Gravitational Waves Research #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1063/1.2840457
published as AIPConf.Proc.968:77-84,2008 · Proceedings, Huangshan meeting "Astrophysics of Compact Objects"
arxiv created 2007/08/07 · openalex publication_date 2008/01/01 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
A number of disparate observational and theoretical pieces of evidence indicate that, contrary to the conventional wisdom, neutron stars' closed field lines are populated by dense, hot plasma and may be responsible for producing some radio and high energy emission. This conclusion is based on eclipse modeling of the binary pulsar system PSR J0737‐3039A/B (Lyutikov & Thompson 2005), a quantitative theory of Crab giant pulses (Lyutikov 2007) and a number of theoretical works related to production of non‐thermal spectra in magnetars through resonant scattering. In magnetars, dense pair plasma is produced by twisting magnetic field lines and associated electric fields required to lift the particles from the surface. In long period pulsars, hot particles on closed field lines can be efficiently trapped by magnetic mirroring, so that relatively low supply rate, e.g. due to a drift from open field lines, may result in high density. In short period pulsars, magnetic mirroring does not work; large densities may still be expected at the magnetic equator near the Y‐point.