IC model of pulsar high energy emission

TL;DR

This paper presents a cyclotron-self-Compton model explaining pulsar high energy emission, successfully reproducing the Crab pulsar spectrum from UV to gamma-rays through inverse Compton scattering in the outer magnetosphere.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed inverse Compton emission model involving counter-streaming beams in the outer gaps, matching observed broadband spectra and providing insights into particle distributions.

Findings

Reproduces Crab pulsar spectrum from UV to gamma-rays.

Suggests high plasma multiplicity (~10^6-10^7) in the magnetosphere.

Provides a direct measurement of particle distribution via Klein-Nishina scattering.

Abstract

We discuss growing evidence that pulsar high energy is emission is generated via Inverse Compton mechanism. We reproduce the broadband spectrum of Crab pulsar, from UV to very high energy gamma-rays - nearly ten decades in energy, within the framework of the cyclotron-self-Compton model. Emission is produced by two counter-streaming beams within the outer gaps, at distances above ~ 20 NS radii. The outward moving beam produces UV-X-ray photons via Doppler-booster cyclotron emission, and GeV photons by Compton scattering the cyclotron photons produced by the inward going beam. The scattering occurs in the deep Klein-Nishina regime, whereby the IC component provides a direct measurement of particle distribution within the magnetosphere. The required plasma multiplicity is high, ~ 10^6-10^7, but is consistent with the average particle flux injected into the pulsar wind nebula.