New Electrodynamics of Pulsars

TL;DR

This paper argues that Force-Free Electrodynamics (FFE) is inadequate for pulsars and advocates for Strong-Field Electrodynamics (SFE), which predicts significant Poynting flux damping, supported by a thought experiment showing FFE's limitations.

Contribution

The paper introduces SFE as a more accurate model for pulsars, challenging the traditional FFE approach and demonstrating its failure through a thought experiment.

Findings

FFE cannot describe cylindrical periodic pulsars.

SFE predicts order-unity damping of Poynting flux.

FPE's description of the current layer is likely incorrect.

Abstract

We have recently proposed that Force-Free Electrodynamics (FFE) does not apply to pulsars -- pulsars should be described by the high-conductivity limit of Strong-Field Electrodynamics (SFE), which predicts an order-unity damping of the Poynting flux, while FFE postulates zero damping. The strong damping result has not been accepted by several pulsar experts, who claim that FFE basically works and the Poynting flux damping can be arbitrarily small. Here we consider a thought experiment -- cylindrical periodic pulsar. We show that FFE is incapable of describing this object, while SFE predictions are physically plausible. The intrinsic breakdown of FFE should mean that the FFE description of the singular current layer (the only region of magnetosphere where FFE and the high-conductivity SFE differ) is incorrect. Then the high-conductivity SFE should be the right theory for real pulsars too, and the pure-FFE description of pulsars should be discarded.