Magnetospheric Structure of Rotation-Powered Neutron Stars
Open Access
- 1 January 1992
- journal article
- other
- Published by Cambridge University Press (CUP) in International Astronomical Union Colloquium
- Vol. 128, 56-77
- https://doi.org/10.1017/s0002731600154770
Abstract
I survey recent theoretical work on the structure of the magnetospheres of rotation-powered pulsars, within the observational constraints set by their observed spindown, their ability to power synchrotron nebulae and their ability to produce beamed collective radio emission, while putting only a small fraction of their energy into incoherent X- and gamma radiation. I find no single theory has yet given a consistent description of the magnetosphere, but I conclude that models based on a dense outflow of pairs from the polar caps, permeated by a lower density flow of heavy ions, are the most promising avenue for future research.Keywords
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