Global static electrospheres of charged pulsars

Pétri, Jérôme; Heyvaerts, J.; Bonazzola, S.

doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20020044

Cited by 59 publications

(76 citation statements)

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“…later found to develop a diocotron instability (see Figure 9b) [139,137], which led to cross field diffusion of the particles and partial filling of the magnetosphere, but not out to the light cylinder [140]. A PIC simulation of the electrosphere [141] showed that the diocotron instability developed even faster for an inclined rotator, filling the magnetosphere out to the light cylinder, but for computational reasons the simulation was limited in time and number of particles.…”

Section: N-body and Particle-in-cell Magnetosphere Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Arrows are magnetic field lines and color is sign of charge: red for positrons, blue for electrons. Right: diocotron instability in the equatorial plane of a charge-separated aligned rotator [137], showing density perturbations (color) and velocity field (arrows).later found to develop a diocotron instability (see Figure 9b) [139,137], which led to cross field diffusion of the particles and partial filling of the magnetosphere, but not out to the light cylinder [140]. A PIC simulation of the electrosphere [141] showed that the diocotron instability developed even faster for an inclined rotator, filling the magnetosphere out to the light cylinder, but for computational reasons the simulation was limited in time and number of particles.…”

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Gamma-ray pulsars: A gold mine

Grenier

Harding

2015

Comptes Rendus. Physique

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The most energetic neutron stars, powered by their rotation, are capable of producing pulsed radiation from the radio up to γ rays with nearly TeV energies. These pulsars are part of the universe of energetic and powerful particle accelerators, using their uniquely fast rotation and formidable magnetic fields to accelerate particles to ultra-relativistic speed. The extreme properties of these stars provide an excellent testing ground, beyond Earth experience, for nuclear, gravitational, and quantum-electrodynamical physics. A wealth of γ-ray pulsars has recently been discovered with the Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope. The energetic γ rays enable us to probe the magnetospheres of neutron stars and particle acceleration in this exotic environment. We review the latest developments in this field, beginning with a brief overview of the properties and mysteries of rotation-powered pulsars, and then discussing γ-ray observations and magnetospheric models in more detail. RésuméLes pulsars γ : une mine d'or : Lesétoilesà neutrons les plus puissantes, qui tirent leurénergie de leur rotation, sont capables d'émettre des impulsions lumineuses des ondes radio jusqu'aux rayons γ d'énergies proches du TeV. Ces pulsars font partie des puissants accélérateurs de particules de l'Univers, profitant de leur rotation unique et de leur formidable champ magnétique pour accélérer des particules jusqu'à des vitesses ultra-relativistes. Les propriétés extrêmes de cesétoiles permettent de tester la physique nucléaire, la gravitation et l'électrodynamique quantique dans des conditions inaccessibles sur Terre. Le télescope gamma spatial Fermi vient de révéler un richeéchantillon de pulsars γ. Leur rayonnement γénergétique permet de sonder la magnétosphère desétoilesà neutrons et d'étudier l'accélération de particules dans cet environnement exotique. Nous présentons les derniers développements de ce domaine, en commençant par une rapide revue des propriétés et mystères soulevés par ces pulsars, puis en détaillant plus avant les observations γ et les modèles magnétosphériques.Keywords : pulsar ; neutron star ; magnetosphere ; gamma rays ; acceleration Mots-clés : pulsar ;étoileà neutrons ; magnétosphère ; rayons gamma ; accélération Neutron stars, pulsars, and their puzzlesA neutron star is an extreme object in many regards. It is a compact, rapidly spinning, highly magnetized star, formed from the core of a massive star which runs out of nuclear power and collapses under its own gravity, with 53 radio-loud and γ-loud young pulsars (orange upward triangles), 37 radio-faint and γ-loud young pulsars (red downward triangles), 71 radio-loud and γ-loud millisecond pulsars (green filled circles, circled in black and red when in black-widow and redback systems, respectively), and 2256 other radio pulsars (light blue). Recently discovered millisecond pulsars, with noṖ measurement yet, are plotted as squares atṖ near 10 −21 . Lines of constant spin-down power (brown) and polar magnetic field strength (green) are given for a magnetic dipole i...

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Section: N-body and Particle-in-cell Magnetosphere Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

Gamma-ray pulsars: A gold mine

Grenier

Harding

2015

Comptes Rendus. Physique

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“…current closure, remains with the primary particles. Static pulsar electrospheres (Pétri et al 2002b) are models that do not involve charge circulation. Unfortunately, they do not create a wind either, and they are not expected to radiate.…”

Section: A Pulsar That Extracts Electrons From One Pole and Protons Fmentioning

confidence: 99%

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

Bonazzola¹,

Mottez²,

Heyvaerts³

2014

A&A

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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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“…Another dyadic pair could be a dead, "electrosphere" state (e.g., Michel 1980;Krause-Polstorff & Michel 1985;Michel 1991;Smith et al 2001;Pétri et al 2002) versus a standard, dynamic magnetosphere. Extreme switching between an electrosphere and a magnetosphere might be associated with the more extreme RRATs and long-term intermittent objects (e.g., Michel 2010).…”

Section: Metastable Statesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pulsar State Switching From Markov Transitions and Stochastic Resonance

Cordes

2013

ApJ

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Markov processes are shown to be consistent with metastable states seen in pulsar phenomena, including intensity nulling, pulse-shape mode changes, subpulse drift rates, spin-down rates, and X-ray emission, based on the typically broad and monotonic distributions of state lifetimes. Markovianity implies a nonlinear magnetospheric system in which state changes occur stochastically, corresponding to transitions between local minima in an effective potential. State durations (though not transition times) are thus largely decoupled from the characteristic timescales of various magnetospheric processes. Dyadic states are common but some objects show at least four states with some transitions forbidden. Another case is the long-term intermittent pulsar B1931+24 that has binary radio-emission and torque states with wide, but non-monotonic duration distributions. It also shows a quasi-period of 38 ± 5 days in a 13 yr time sequence, suggesting stochastic resonance in a Markov system with a forcing function that could be strictly periodic or quasi-periodic. Nonlinear phenomena are associated with time-dependent activity in the acceleration region near each magnetic polar cap. The polar-cap diode is altered by feedback from the outer magnetosphere and by return currents from the equatorial region outside the light cylinder that may also cause the neutron star to episodically charge and discharge. Orbital perturbations of a disk or current sheet provide a natural periodicity for the forcing function in the stochastic-resonance interpretation of B1931+24. Disk dynamics may introduce additional timescales in observed phenomena. Future work can test the Markov interpretation, identify which pulsar types have a propensity for state changes, and clarify the role of selection effects.

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Global static electrospheres of charged pulsars

Cited by 59 publications

References 37 publications

Gamma-ray pulsars: A gold mine

Gamma-ray pulsars: A gold mine

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

Pulsar State Switching From Markov Transitions and Stochastic Resonance

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