The theory we have constructed can be compared with observational results. But for the consideration of concrete processes, the theory in some cases should be detailed. In this chapter, we therefore make both a theoretical analysis, which allows us to obtain concrete calculational formulas, and a direct comparison of the theory with experiment. We analyse the structure of the active region (Section 7.1), the generation of electron–positron plasma and of high-frequency radiation (Section 7.2), the dynamics of a neutron star due to its current-induced deceleration (Section 7.3), the statistical distribution of pulsars (Section 7.4), the generation of radio emission (Sections 7.5 and 7.6) and, finally, nonstationary processes (Section 7.7).

The structure of the active region

The model of a partially filled magnetosphere

As shown in Chapters 3–5, the theory of plasma generation in the region of the double layer associates the pulsar rotation energy losses Wtot with the magnitude of the longitudinal electric current j∥ flowing in the magnetosphere (see (4.215)). This current is specified by the ‘compatibility relation’ (4.174) and by the pulsar ‘ignition’ condition (5.66). Owing to this, we can reconstruct the structure of the active region in the polar cap and determine important parameters of a neutron star as the magnitude of the magnetic field B0 from the observed quantities P and dP/dt.

It should be noted, however, that to be compared with observational data, the theory developed in Chapter 4 should be extended.