Modelling energy-dependent pulsar light curves

TL;DR

This paper models energy-dependent pulsar light curves to understand emission mechanisms and magnetospheric regions, especially above 100 GeV, aiding in the interpretation of recent high-energy pulsar observations.

Contribution

It presents detailed curvature emission light curve models across energy bands, highlighting their potential to distinguish emission mechanisms and locations within pulsar magnetospheres.

Findings

Light curves vary with energy, revealing emission region characteristics.

Modeling can differentiate between emission mechanisms.

Insights into pulsar magnetosphere structure at high energies.

Abstract

In recent years, surprise discoveries of pulsed emission from the Crab and Vela pulsars above 100 GeV have drawn renewed attention to this largely unexplored region of the energy range. In this paper, we discuss example light curves due to curvature emission, with good resolution in the different energy bands. Continued light curve modelling may help to discriminate between different emission mechanisms, as well as constrain the location where emission is produced within the pulsar magnetosphere, including regions beyond the light cylinder.