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Pulsar Pair Cascades in a Distorted Magnetic Dipole FieldWe investigate the effect of a distorted neutron star dipole magnetic field on pulsar pair cascade multiplicity and pair death lines. Using a simple model for a distorted dipole field that produces an offset polar cap (PC), we derive the accelerating electric field above the PC in space-charge-limited flow. We find that even a modest azimuthally asymmetric distortion can significantly increase the accelerating electric field on one side of the PC and, combined with a smaller field line radius of curvature, leads to larger pair multiplicity. The death line for producing pairs by curvature radiation moves downward in the P-P-dot diagram, allowing high pair multiplicities in a larger percentage of the radio pulsar population. These results could have important implications for the radio pulsar population, high energy pulsed emission, and the pulsar contribution to cosmic ray positrons.
Document ID
20120013513
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Harding, Alice K.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD, United States)
Muslimov, Alex G.
(Universities Space Research Association Columbia, MD, United States)
Date Acquired
August 26, 2013
Publication Date
December 13, 2010
Publication Information
Publication: The Astrophysical Journal
Volume: 726
Issue: 1
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Report/Patent Number
GSFC.JA.6422.2012
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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