The pulsar synchrotron: Coherent radio emission

Abstract

We propose a simple physical picture for the generation of coherent radio emission in the axisymmetric pulsar magnetosphere that is quite different from the canonical paradigm of radio emission coming from the magnetic polar caps. In this first paper, we consider only the axisymmetric case of an aligned rotator. Our picture capitalizes on an important element of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) representation of the magnetosphere, namely the separatrix between the corotating closed-line region (the 'dead zone') and the open-field lines that originate in the polar caps. Along the separatrix flows the return current that corresponds to the main magnetospheric electric current emanating from the polar caps. Across the separatrix, both the toroidal and poloidal components of the magnetic field change discontinuously. The poloidal component discontinuity requires the presence of a significant annular electric current which has up to now been unaccounted for. We estimate the position and thickness of this annular current at the tip of the closed line region, and show that it consists of electrons (positrons) corotating with Lorentz factors on the order of 105, emitting incoherent synchrotron radiation that peaks in the hard X-rays. These particles stay in the region of highest annular current close to the equator for a path-length of the order of 1 m. We propose that, at wavelengths comparable to that path-length, the particles emit coherent radiation, with radiated power proportional to N2, where N is the population of particles in the above path-length. We calculate the total radio power in this wavelength regime and its scaling with pulsar period and stellar magnetic field and show that it is consistent with estimates of radio luminosity based on observations. © 2009 The Author. Journal compilation © 2009 RAS.