High-energy radiation from rapidly spinning pulsars with thick outer gaps

被引:182
作者
Zhang, L
Cheng, KS
机构
[1] Department of Physics, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road
关键词
MHD; pulsars; general; radiation mechanisms; nonthermal; stars; magnetic fields;
D O I
10.1086/304589
中图分类号
P1 [天文学];
学科分类号
0704 ;
摘要
We propose a self-consistent mechanism to estimate the size of the acceleration region in the outer magnetosphere of pulsars (outer gap) and calculate the high-energy radiation produced by the synchrocurvature mechanism from the outer gap. We find that a power-law energy distribution of the accelerated particles can be obtained if the outer gap is thick enough that E.(B) over cap inside the gap can be approximately proportional to (Omega r/c)B-1/2(r). We apply our model to explain X-rays and gamma-rays from Geminga and PSR B1055-52, whose outer gaps may occupy similar to 70% of the outer magnetosphere region. If the radius of curvature near the light cylinder of the medium outer gap is larger than the dipolar structure, then perhaps this model may also apply to PSR B1951 + 32, PSR B1706-44, and others.
引用
收藏
页码:370 / 379
页数:10
相关论文
共 45 条
[1]  
ARONS J, 1979, ASTROPHYS J, V231, P854, DOI 10.1086/157250
[2]   NEUTRON STARQUAKES AND PULSAR SPEEDUP [J].
BAYM, G ;
PINES, D .
ANNALS OF PHYSICS, 1971, 66 (02) :816-&
[3]   ROSAT observations of neutron stars [J].
Becker, W .
SEVENTEENTH TEXAS SYMPOSIUM ON RELATIVISTIC ASTROPHYSICS AND COSMOLOGY, 1995, 759 :250-256
[4]   DETECTION OF PULSED X-RAYS FROM THE BINARY MILLISECOND PULSAR J0437-4715 [J].
BECKER, W ;
TRUMPER, J .
NATURE, 1993, 365 (6446) :528-530
[5]  
BECKER W, 1997, IN PRESS A A
[6]  
BENNETT K, 1994, ASTROPHYS J SUPPL S, V90, P823, DOI 10.1086/191909
[7]  
BENNETT K, 1993, 23RD P INT COSM RAY, V1, P172
[8]   Parallax observations with the Hubble Space Telescope yield the distance to Geminga [J].
Caraveo, PA ;
Bignami, GF ;
Mignani, R ;
Taff, LG .
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 1996, 461 (02) :L91-L94
[9]   PULSAR DEATH LINES AND DEATH-VALLEY [J].
CHEN, KY ;
RUDERMAN, M .
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 1993, 402 (01) :264-270
[10]   ENERGETIC RADIATION FROM RAPIDLY SPINNING PULSARS .1. OUTER MAGNETOSPHERE GAPS [J].
CHENG, KS ;
HO, C ;
RUDERMAN, M .
ASTROPHYSICAL JOURNAL, 1986, 300 (02) :500-521