Nuclear physics of reverse electron flow at pulsar polar caps

TL;DR

This paper investigates the complex behavior of reverse electron flow at pulsar polar caps, highlighting how proton production and instabilities influence current composition and relate to pulsar phenomena.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of proton and positron/ion current fluctuations caused by electromagnetic shower instabilities at pulsar polar caps.

Findings

Proton currents dominate in certain pulsar conditions.

Instabilities cause rapid alternation between proton and positron/ion currents.

These processes may explain pulsar nulling and microstructure phenomena.

Abstract

Protons produced in electromagnetic showers formed by the reverse-electron flux are usually the largest component of the time-averaged polar-cap open magnetic flux-line current in neutron stars with positive corotational charge density. Although the electric-field boundary conditions in the corotating frame are time-independent, instabilities on both medium and short time-scales cause the current to alternate between states in which either protons or positrons and ions form the major component. These properties are briefly discussed in relation to nulling and microstructure in radio pulsars, pair production in an outer gap, and neutron stars with high surface temperatures.