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Pair production induced by quantum electrodynamic vacuum polarization in pulsars
Article first published online: 30 DEC 2011
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.20158.x
© 2011 The Authors Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society © 2011 RAS
Issue
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Volume 420, Issue 2, pages 1673–1683, February 2012
Additional Information
How to Cite
Luo, Y. and Ji, P. (2012), Pair production induced by quantum electrodynamic vacuum polarization in pulsars. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 420: 1673–1683. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2011.20158.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 24 JAN 2012
- Article first published online: 30 DEC 2011
- Accepted 2011 November 7. Received 2011 October 10; in original form 2011 August 5
- Abstract
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- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- magnetic fields;
- plasmas;
- polarization;
- relativistic processes;
- waves;
- pulsars: general
ABSTRACT
The probability of electron–positron pair production out of the vacuum of pulsars is calculated. Pair production is induced by a super-strong intrinsic magnetic field and a circularly polarized electromagnetic wave propagating along the magnetic field lines in the magnetized pair plasma near the polar caps of the pulsar. The dependence of the probability on the intensity of electromagnetic fields, the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation and the pair plasma of pulsars is discussed in detail. A significant conclusion is reached, namely that the electromagnetic radiation with frequencies close to the cyclotron frequency of an electron moving in the magnetized pair plasma plays an important role in the pair production. The attenuation of the luminosity of the pulsar radiation resulting from pair production is also examined.