Synchrotron absorption in pulsar magnetospheres

Y. E. Lyubarskii, S. A. Petrova

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

37 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cyclotron absorption is known to be significant in pulsar magnetospheres. It is shown that when particles absorb significant fraction of pulsar radio emission, they acquire relativistic gyration. Therefore synchrotron absorption by relativistic plasma with small pitch-angles is considered. It is shown that both the frequency of the absorbed radiation and the absorption coefficient remain the same as in the cyclotron case provided that the angle the absorbed radiation makes with plasma velocity exceeds the pitch-angle. This condition holds if the absorbed energy is less than initial energy of plasma. Spontaneous reemission of the absorbed energy is considered. In short-period pulsars, a significant fraction of the absorbed energy is reemitted in the far infrared band.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)433-440
Number of pages8
JournalAstronomy and Astrophysics
Volume337
Issue number2
StatePublished - 10 Sep 1998
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Plasmas
  • Radiation mechanisms: non-thermal
  • Stars: pulsars: general

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Astronomy and Astrophysics
  • Space and Planetary Science

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