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Joint Astrophysics ColloquiumSpecial Astrophysics SeminarGamma-ray emission mechanism from pulsar magnetospheresKouichi HirotaniMax-Planck-Institut für KernphysikRecent years have seen a renewal of interest in the theory of particle acceleration in pulsar magnetospheres, after the launch of the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory (CGRO). The Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) on board the CGRO has detected pulsed signals from at least seven rotation-powered pulsars.I examined the gamma-ray emission properties of such pulsars by solving the set of Maxwell and Boltzmann equations self-consistently. It is found that the soft gamma-ray spectrum between 100 MeV and 3 GeV observed for the Vela pulsar can be explained by a superposition of the curvature radiation emitted from different positions in the outer magnetosphere. I will also show that the gamma-ray luminosities of relatively young pulsars are naturally proportional to the square root of the spin-down luminosity.
Monday, February 9th 2004, 13:00
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, room 326 |