An emission mechanism explaining off-pulse emission originating in the outer magnetosphere of pulsars

TL;DR

This paper proposes a cyclotron resonance instability mechanism in pulsar magnetospheres that explains off-pulse radio emissions observed in long period pulsars, supported by energetic viability analysis.

Contribution

It introduces a new plasma process mechanism for off-pulse emission in pulsars, linking theoretical instability conditions to observed phenomena.

Findings

The instability produces sub-GHz radio emission.

The mechanism is energetically feasible for long period pulsars.

It explains recent observations of off-pulse emission.

Abstract

We have examined the cyclotron resonance instability developing in the relativistic out-flowing plasma in the pulsar magnetosphere. The instability condition leads to radio emission in the sub-GHz frequency regime which is likely to be seen as off-pulse emission. Recent studies have shown the presence of off-pulse emission in long period pulsars, and we demonstrate this plasma process to be an energetically viable mechanism.