Antenna source of radio-frequency emission in ion-proton pulsars

TL;DR

This paper proposes that radio emissions in ion-proton pulsars originate from an antenna-like mechanism involving Langmuir modes in the magnetosphere, explaining observed polarization, spectral index, and pulse profile features.

Contribution

It introduces a novel antenna-based model for pulsar radio emission driven by Langmuir modes in the magnetosphere, linking plasma physics to observable pulsar signals.

Findings

Radiation energy flux matches observed pulsar emissions.

Polarization and spectral index are consistent with observations.

Notch features in pulse profiles naturally explained.

Abstract

The growth of a longitudinal or quasi-longitudinal Langmuir mode in the outward-moving beam of ions and protons that forms the open sector of an ion-proton pulsar magnetosphere radiates as an analogue of an end-fed high-impedance horizontal straight-wire antenna an integral number of half-waves in length. The radiation has, broadly, the energy flux, linear polarization and spectral index that are widely observed: also, the notch phenomenon seen in some integrated pulse profiles occurs naturally. The new field of pulsar observations below 100 MHz may lead to productive tests of the radio emission mechanism.