Three-dimensional non-vacuum pulsar outer-gap model: Localized acceleration electric field in the higher altitudes

TL;DR

This paper models the particle acceleration in pulsar magnetospheres, showing that electric fields are localized at higher altitudes due to pair creation, resulting in outward photon flux and characteristic pulsar light curves.

Contribution

It introduces a three-dimensional non-vacuum outer-gap model that accounts for localized acceleration electric fields near the light cylinder.

Findings

Electric field is screened along magnetic field lines by pairs.

Acceleration occurs mainly at higher altitudes near the light cylinder.

Photon flux is predominantly outward, producing double-peak light curves.

Abstract

We investigate the particle accelerator that arises in a rotating neutron-star magnetosphere. Solving the Poisson equation for the electro-static potential, the Boltzmann equations for relativistic electrons and positrons, and the radiative transfer equation simultaneously, we demonstrate that the electric field is substantially screened along the magnetic field lines by the pairs that are created and separated within the accelerator. As a result, the magnetic-field-aligned electric field is localized in the higher altitudes near the light cylinder and efficiently accelerates the positrons created in the lower altitudes outwards but not the electrons inwards. The resulting photon flux becomes predominantly outwards, leading to typical double-peak light curves, which are commonly observed from many high-energy pulsars.