Magnetospheric Scattering of Pulsar Surface Radiation

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We consider the effect of resonant scattering of ≤keV surface emission in the closed zone of pulsar magnetospheres. For magnetospheric charge densities comparable to the corotation value, subtle effects are expected in the soft X-ray and visible/UV regimes. Radiation support of a dense closed-zone plasma may, however, give rise to large scattering-induced pulse modulation; we discuss limits to such plasma population. If closed-zone scattering can be detected, the resulting pulse profiles are sensitive to details of the neutron star gravity field. For millisecond pulsars, in particular, scattering pulse features can provide an interesting probe of relativistic gravity.