On the nature of fast radio bursts

TL;DR

This paper proposes a detailed physical model explaining the formation and emission mechanism of fast radio bursts (FRBs) from magnetized neutron stars, involving plasma processes and magnetic interactions near the star surface.

Contribution

It introduces a novel scenario linking neutron star magnetospheres, plasma dynamics, and burst emission, specifically explaining the periodicity and properties of FRB 121102.

Findings

Model explains the periodicity of FRB 121102 as a 200-day orbit of a dense body.

Describes how plasma accumulation and ejection produce observable radio bursts.

Provides estimates of plasma parameters and burst timescales consistent with observations.

Abstract

Scenario of formation of fast radio bursts (FRBs) is proposed. Just like radio pulsars, sources of FRBs are magnetized neutron stars. Appearance of strong electric field in a magnetosphere of a neutron star is associated with close passage of a dense body near hot neutron star. For the repeating source FRB 121102, which has been observed in four series of bursts, the period of orbiting of the body is about 200 days. Thermal radiation from the surface of the star (temperature is of the order of $ 10^8 \, K $) causes evaporation and ionization of the matter of the dense body. Ionized gas (plasma) flows around the magnetosphere of the neutron star with the velocity $ u \simeq 10^7 \, cm / s $, and creates electric potential $ \psi_0 \simeq 10^{11} \, V $ in the polar region of the magnetosphere. Electrons from the plasma flow are accelerated toward the star, and gain Lorentz factor of $ \simeq 10 ^ 5 $. Thermal photons moving toward precipitating electrons are scattered by them, and produce gamma photons with energies of $ \simeq 10^5 \, m_e c^2 $. These gamma quanta produce electron-positron pairs in collisions with thermal photons. The multiplicity, the number of born pairs per one primary electron, is about $ 10^5 $. The electron-positron plasma, produced in the polar region of magnetosphere, accumulates in a narrow layer at a bottom of a potential well formed on one side by a blocking potential $ \psi_0 $, and on the other side by pressure of thermal radiation. The density of electron-positron plasma in the layer increases with time, and after short time the layer becomes a mirror for thermal radiation of the star. The thermal radiation in the polar region under the layer is accumulated during time $ \simeq 500 \, s $, then the plasma layer is ejected outside. The ejection is observed as burst of radio emission formed by the flow of relativistic electron-positron plasma.