Circular Polarization in Pulsars Due to Curvature Radiation

Abstract

The beamed radio emission from relativistic plasma (particles or bunches), constrained to move along the curved trajectories, occurs in the direction of velocity. We have generalized the coherent curvature radiation model to include the detailed geometry of the emission region in pulsar magnetosphere and deduced the polarization state in terms of Stokes parameters. By considering both the uniform and modulated emissions, we have simulated a few typical pulse profiles. The antisymmetric type of circular polarization survives only when there is modulation or discrete distribution in the emitting sources. Our model predicts a correlation between the polarization angle swing and sign reversal of circular polarization as a geometric property of the emission process. © 2010. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.