X-rays from reconnection in pulsar winds
Abstract
The rotational energy of a pulsar is most likely carried away by a relativistic MHD wind. Near the equatorial plane, such a wind should exhibit a striped structure in which regions of opposite magnetic polarity are separated by cur-rent sheets. Using a recent model of the reconnection rate in these sheets, we estimate the synchrotron radiation which they emit. For sufficiently fast winds, this radiation is observed in a pulse/interpulse pattern. We compare our com-putations with observations of rotationally powered Xray and optical pulsars.
- Publication:
-
International Cosmic Ray Conference
- Pub Date:
- August 2001
- Bibcode:
- 2001ICRC....6.2418K