Gamma-Rays From Nearly-Aligned Pulsars

Details Gamma-Rays From Nearly-Aligned Pulsars Gamma-Rays From Nearly-Aligned Pulsars

Dec 1993

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1993aas...183.9305d&link_type=abstract

American Astronomical Society, 183rd AAS Meeting, #93.05; Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, Vol. 25, p.1435

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astronomy

Scientific paper

We discuss a nearly-aligned pulsar model with polar cap acceleration in order to explain the energetics, number, spectra, and pulse profiles of the known gamma-ray pulsars. In this model, the nonthermal energy of electrons flowing outward along field lines connected to the light cylinder is converted to gamma-rays via magnetic Compton scattering of optical and soft X-ray photons. The scattered photons initiate a pair cascade in the pulsar magnetosphere through magnetic pair production followed by synchrotron emission. We find that the efficiency for converting spin-down luminosity to outflowing particle luminosity (and thus gamma-ray luminosity) increases with decreasing spin-down luminosity, a trend recently emphasized by Ulmer. The predicted gamma-ray flux is ~ dot {P}(3/4}/P({5/4)) d(2) , where P is the period, dot {P} is the period derivative, and d is the distance to the pulsar. For initial spin periods between 10 and 30 ms and neutron star polar magnetic fields between 1 and 4 teragauss, this model accounts for the number and age distribution of the five pulsars which have been observed to emit >100 MeV gamma-rays. The calculated spectra are used to fit gamma-ray pulsar observations. This model produces a hollow cone of emission that can reproduce both the broad single-peaked and narrow double-peaked pulse profiles observed from gamma-ray pulsars. The resulting polarization angle swing of the radio emission is examined under the assumption that it is produced as the pulsar polar cap crosses the observers line of sight. We will also discuss the implications of this model for the observability of millisecond pulsars.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Gamma-Rays From Nearly-Aligned Pulsars does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Gamma-Rays From Nearly-Aligned Pulsars, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Gamma-Rays From Nearly-Aligned Pulsars will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-780912