General-relativistic electromagnetic fields around a slowly rotating neutron star: stationary vacuum solutions

Pétri, Jérôme

doi:10.1093/mnras/stt798

Cited by 34 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…This helped Rezzolla et al (2001), Zanotti & Rezzolla (2002) and Rezzolla & Ahmedov (2004) to compute the electromagnetic field in the exterior of a slowly rotating neutron star. They gave approximate analytical expressions for the external electromagnetic field close to the neutron star that were later also reported by Pétri (2013). Kojima et al (2004) extended the previous work by solving numerically the equations for the oblique rotator in vacuum in general relativity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 61%

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Strongly magnetized rotating dipole in general relativity

Pétri

2016

A&A

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Context. Electromagnetic waves arise in many areas of physics. Solutions are difficult to find in the general case. Aims. We numerically integrate Maxwell equations in a 3D spherical polar coordinate system. Methods. Straightforward finite difference methods would lead to a coordinate singularity along the polar axis. Spectral methods are better suited for such artificial singularities that are related to the choice of a coordinate system. When the radiating object rotates like a star, for example, special classes of solutions to Maxwell equations are worthwhile to study, such as quasi-stationary regimes. Moreover, in high-energy astrophysics, strong gravitational and magnetic fields are present especially around rotating neutron stars. Results. To study such systems, we designed an algorithm to solve the time-dependent Maxwell equations in spherical polar coordinates including general relativity and quantum electrodynamical corrections to leading order. As a diagnostic, we computed the spin-down luminosity expected for these stars and compared it to the classical or non-relativistic and non-quantum mechanical results. Conclusions. Quantum electrodynamics leads to an irrelevant change in the spin-down luminosity even for a magnetic field of about the critical value of 4.4 × 10 9 T. Therefore the braking index remains close to its value for a point dipole in vacuum, namely n = 3. The same conclusion holds for a general-relativistic quantum electrodynamically corrected force-free magnetosphere.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 61%

“…The same observations apply to the general-relativistic fields where comparisons are made possible thanks to some approximate solutions given to first order in R s by Eq. (55) in Pétri (2013). We compare this analytical solution for f D 2,0 to the output of our simulations in Fig.…”

Section: Vacuum-aligned Dipolementioning

confidence: 97%

Strongly magnetized rotating dipole in general relativity

Pétri

2016

A&A

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“…Pétri (2013) has built numerical solutions of the electromagnetic field surrounding a star with a dipole field in the context of general relativity. Our model does not include gravitational effects, but it is possible that a numerical solution can be developed as well.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

General solution for the vacuum electromagnetic field in the surroundings of a rotating star

Bonazzola¹,

Mottez²,

Heyvaerts³

2014

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Aims. Many recent observations of pulsars and magnetars can be interpreted in terms of neutron stars with multipole electromagnetic fields. As a first approximation, we investigate the multipole magnetic and electric fields in the environment of a rotating star when this environment is deprived of plasma. Methods. We compute a multipole expansion of the electromagnetic field in vacuum for a given magnetic field on the conducting surface of the rotating star. Then, we consider a few consequences of multipole fields of pulsars. Results. We provide an explicit form of the solution. For each spherical harmonic of the magnetic field, the expansion contains a finite number of terms. A multipole magnetic field can provide an explanation for the stable sub-structures of pulses, and they offer a solution to the problem of current closure in pulsar magnetospheres. Conclusions. This computation generalises the widely used model of a rotating star in vacuum with a dipole field. It can be especially useful as a first approximation to the electromagnetic environment of a compact star, for instance a neutron star, with an arbitrarily magnetic field.

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“…The 3+1 formalism has been extensively used to compute general relativistic force-free solutions for neutron star magnetosphere. Vacuum solution are of the Deutsch kind but in general relativity are discussed in Pétri (2013a). The numerical simulations based on a pseudo-spectral code are described in Pétri (2014) and extended to a discontinuous Galerkin approach in Pétri (2015cPétri ( , 2016a.…”

Section: Grffementioning

confidence: 99%

Theory of pulsar magnetosphere and wind

Pétri

2016

J. Plasma Phys.

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Neutron stars are fascinating astrophysical objects immersed in strong gravitational and electromagnetic fields, at the edge of our current theories. These stars manifest themselves mostly as pulsars, emitting a timely very stable and regular electromagnetic signal. Even though discovered almost fifty years ago, they still remain mysterious compact stellar objects. In this review, we summarize the most fundamental theoretical aspects of neutron star magnetospheres and winds. The main competing models explaining their radiative properties like multi-wavelength pulse shapes and spectra and the underlying physical processes such as pair creation and radiation mechanisms are scrutinized. A global but still rather qualitative picture slowly emerges thanks to recent advances in numerical simulations on the largest scales. However considerations about pulsar magnetospheres remain speculative. For instance, the exact composition of the magnetospheric plasma is not yet known. Is it solely filled with a mixture of e ± leptons or does it contain a non-negligible fraction of protons and/or ions? Is it almost entirely filled or mostly empty except for some small anecdotal plasma filled regions? Answers to these questions will strongly direct the description of the magnetosphere to seemingly contradictory results leading sometimes to inconsistencies. Nevertheless, accounts are given as to the latest developments in the theory of pulsar magnetospheres and winds, the existence of a possible electrosphere and physical insight obtained from related observational signatures of multi-wavelength pulsed emission.

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General-relativistic electromagnetic fields around a slowly rotating neutron star: stationary vacuum solutions

Cited by 34 publications

References 21 publications

Strongly magnetized rotating dipole in general relativity

Strongly magnetized rotating dipole in general relativity

General solution for the vacuum electromagnetic field in the surroundings of a rotating star

Theory of pulsar magnetosphere and wind

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