Open AccessExcitation of Alfvén waves and pulsar radio emission
Author(s) -
Lyutikov Maxim
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.2000.03402.x
Subject(s) - physics , pulsar , cherenkov radiation , excitation , cyclotron , astrophysics , cyclotron resonance , instability , radio wave , computational physics , atomic physics , plasma , nuclear physics , optics , quantum mechanics , detector , mechanics
We analyse mechanisms of the excitation of Alfvén waves in pulsar magnetospheres as a possible source of pulsar radio emission generation. We find that Cherenkov excitation of obliquely propagating Alfvén waves is inefficient, while excitation at the anomalous cyclotron resonance by the particles from the primary beam and from the tail of the bulk distribution function may have a considerable growth rate. The cyclotron instability on Alfvén waves occurs in the kinetic regime still not very closed to the star: r 50 R NS . We also discuss various mechanisms of conversion of Alfvén waves into escaping radiation. Unfortunately, no decisive conclusion about the effectiveness of such conversion can be made.