Possibility of the Detection of Ultra-Low-Frequency Dipole Radiation from Obliquely Rotating Magnetized Neutron Stars
Abstract
New developments in the knowledge of the observational properties of rotating highly magnetized neutron stars and in the detection of very weak magnetic fields using superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) have given the opportunity to revise Kaplan's (1972) proposal of direct detection of ultra-low-frequency magnetodipole radiation emitted by radio pulsars. It is clear that the simple vacuum mode of propagation of the ULF-radiation is impossible, due to the presence of the magnetosphere of the neutron star, interstellar and interplanetary plasmatic medium, and finally, the Earth's ionosphere. The propagation problems within each medium are qualitatively discussed. From the analysis it follows that a whistler mode of propagation is in principle possible and one may be able to detect the ULF-radiation from rotating neutron stars in the frequency range of 0.2 Hz to 5 Hz. The authors propose a SQUID detecting system with a narrow-band analogue filter tuned to the known frequency of a pulsar and the integration of data over a period of several hours.
- Publication:
-
Bulletin of the Astronomical Institutes of Czechoslovakia
- Pub Date:
- November 1985
- Bibcode:
- 1985BAICz..36..369O