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Pulsar Radio Emission and Bunching Mechanisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 August 2015

E. Asséo
Affiliation:
Centre de Physique Théorique, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau, France
R. Pellat
Affiliation:
Centre de Physique Théorique, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau, France
H. Sol
Affiliation:
Centre de Physique Théorique, Ecole Polytechnique, 91128 Palaiseau, France

Extract

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Galactic pulsars have been discovered by their radio emission. The emission has the common feature of being periodic, polarized, weakly frequency dependent (in the frequency range 100 MHz 10 GHz). Their energy is large for radio emission but still negligible as compared with the observed emission in the γ-ray range. They are also characterized by a very high temperature of brightness (1027–1031 Kelvin) which implies a coherent emission mechanism (this temperature is much larger than the possible particle energy). The only radiation mechanism which may produce such emission seems to be some kind of relativistic plasma instability. Unfortunately, available plasma models for pulsar magnetospheres are up to now too preliminary to make any definite statement. Nevertheless we will adopt the most popular scenario which relates the radio emission to the field aligned currents (relativistic electrons, positrons, ions) produced in the vicinity of the neutron star. These currents may result from a spark gap mechanism with pair creation (as proposed by Ruderman and Sutherland (1975) and others) or implied by the star's neutrality (as a return current system).

Type
II. Radio Emission Mechanism
Copyright
Copyright © Reidel 1981 

References

Asséo, E., Pellat, R., and Rosado, M.: 1980, Astrophys. J. 239, p. 661.Google Scholar
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Ruderman, M.A. and Sutherland, P.G.: 1975, Astrophys. J. 196, p. 51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pellat, R.: 1979, Space Sci. Rev. 24, p. 601.Google Scholar