Pair creation above pulsar polar caps - Steady flow in the surface acceleration zone and polar CAP X-ray emission

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (178) References (27) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Pair creation above pulsar polar caps - Steady flow in the surface acceleration zone and polar CAP X-ray emission Arons, J. Abstract The existence of a steady, electrically driven flow, including pair creation, above a rotating and strongly magnetic neutron star's polar caps is considered, assuming the free emission of electrons from the stellar surface. It is shown that pair creation by the trapped positrons does not disrupt the extraction of the primary stream of electrons, while continued pair creation above the top of the acceleration zone generates a dense, approximately force-free column of pair plasma which streams away from the star, resulting in a steady flow of plasma along polar field lines. Qualitative arguments are given which suggest that the flow in the acceleration zone is stable, and the model is shown to be applicable to pulsars whose magnetic moment, rotation period and stellar radius satisfy a set of considerations correcting and improving the work of Arons and Scharlemann (1979). Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: September 1981 DOI: 10.1086/159239 Bibcode: 1981ApJ...248.1099A Keywords: Electron Emission; Magnetohydrodynamic Flow; Neutron Stars; Pair Production; Polar Caps; Pulsars; X Ray Sources; Cosmic Plasma; Dense Plasmas; Flow Stability; Force-Free Magnetic Fields; Magnetic Stars; Particle Acceleration; Positrons; Steady Flow; Stellar Magnetic Fields; Stellar Radiation; Stellar Rotation; Trapped Particles; Astrophysics full text sources ADS |