Theory of the pulsar atmosphere. II - Arbitrary magnetic and rotational axes Qualitative features

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (22) References (19) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Theory of the pulsar atmosphere. II. Arbitrary magnetic and rotational axes; qualitative features. Jackson, E. A. Abstract The dominant guiding-center motions of particles in the vacuum near-field region of a rotating magnetized charged neutron star with an arbitrary angle (chi) between the rotational and magnetic axes are investigated in order to determine qualitative features of the atmosphere formed by the rotating magnetic field and its associated electric field. The vacuum field structure near the star is considered, with particular attention given to the acceleration along the magnetic field and the emission features at the stellar surface as a function of stellar charge. Details of the orthogonal case are discussed, showing the nature of the force-free surface about which the atmosphere tends to form as well as the vortical and nonvortical drift patterns produced by E x B drift. The case of arbitrary orientations is examined, the polar emission region to the nebula and the stellar charge are estimated on the basis of an emission cylinder of given radius, and the qualitative structure of the atmosphere is described. An estimate is given for the maximum value of the absolute value of chi - pi/2 for which there is a particle flux to the nebula. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: June 1978 DOI: 10.1086/156186 Bibcode: 1978ApJ...222..675J Keywords: Magnetohydrodynamic Flow; Pulsars; Stellar Atmospheres; Stellar Magnetic Fields; Stellar Rotation; Stellar Winds; Electric Fields; Magnetic Dipoles; Magnetically Trapped Particles; Orthogonality; Self Consistent Fields; Astrophysics; Atmospheres:Pulsars full text sources ADS |