On the surface extraction of electrons in a pulsar

Diver, D. , da Costa, A., Laing, E., Stark, C. and Teodoro, L. (2010) On the surface extraction of electrons in a pulsar. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 401(1), pp. 613-620. (doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15684.x)

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Publisher's URL: http://www.wiley.com/bw/journal.asp?ref=0035-8711

Abstract

We present a novel description of how energetic electrons may be ejected from the pulsar interior into the atmosphere, based on the collective electrostatic oscillations of interior electrons confined to move parallel to the magnetic field. The size of the interior magnetic field influences the interior plasma frequency, via the associated matter density compression. The plasma oscillations occur close to the regions of maximum magnetic field curvature, that is, close to the magnetic poles where the majority of magnetic flux emerges. Given that these oscillations have a density-dependent maximum amplitude before wave-breaking occurs, such waves can eject energetic electrons using only the self-field of the electron population in the interior. Moreover, photons emitted by electrons in the bulk of the oscillation can escape along the field lines by virtue of the lower opacity there (and the fact that they are emitted predominantly in this direction), leading to features in the spectra of pulsars.

Item Type:Articles (Other)
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Teodoro, Dr Luis and da Costa, Professor Antonio and Diver, Professor Declan and Stark, Mr Craig and Laing, Professor Ernest
Authors: Diver, D., da Costa, A., Laing, E., Stark, C., and Teodoro, L.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
Research Group:Astronomy and Astrophysics
Journal Name:Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Journal Abbr.:MNRAS
Publisher:Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
ISSN:0035-8711
ISSN (Online):1365-2966
Published Online:22 October 2009

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
465931Solar, stellar and cosmological plasmas: a synthesis of data, modelling and theory.Declan DiverScience & Technologies Facilities Council (STFC)ST/F002149/1Physics and Astronomy