Source of circular polarization in radio pulsars

TL;DR

This paper investigates the origins of circular polarization in radio pulsars, applying the limiting polarization concept within the ion-proton model to explain observations in normal pulsars but not in millisecond pulsars.

Contribution

It demonstrates that limiting polarization explains circular polarization in normal pulsars but not in millisecond pulsars, highlighting the role of the ion-proton model in understanding these phenomena.

Findings

Limiting polarization explains normal pulsar polarization.

Fails to account for millisecond pulsar polarization due to lower particle densities.

Certain millisecond pulsar Stokes profile features align with limiting polarization predictions.

Abstract

It is known that the concept of limiting polarization introduced seventy years ago by K G Budden has the capacity to explain the magnitude of circular polarization seen in normal pulsars with rotation periods of the order of one second under the assumption of a high-multiplicity electron-positron plasma. However, a review of limiting polarization under the same assumption in millisecond pulsars indicates that it is inapplicable there because the region of limiting polarization lies far outside the light cylinder. The present paper, using the ion-proton model, evaluates circular polarization both generally and specifically for J2144-3933, and gives a fairly detailed understanding of the observations in normal pulsars including the change of sign as a function of frequency seen in J0908-4913. But it also fails to explain circular polarization in millisecond pulsars owing to the smaller particle number densities and birefringence of the magnetosphere in these objects. However, the review of limiting polarization finds that, within the ion-proton model, this distinct process can describe their circular polarization. It is argued that certain features of millisecond pulsar Stokes profiles are clearly consistent with limiting polarization.