Open AccessFast magnetosonic waves in pulsar winds
Author(s) -
Lyubarsky Y. E.
Publication year - 2003
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.1365-8711.2003.06221.x
Subject(s) - physics , pulsar , dissipation , shock wave , astrophysics , shock (circulatory) , alfvén wave , shock waves in astrophysics , magnetohydrodynamics , computational physics , astronomy , plasma , mechanics , nuclear physics , medicine , thermodynamics
Fast magnetosonic waves in a magnetically dominated plasma are investigated. In the pulsar wind these waves may transport a significant fraction of the energy flux. It is shown that the non‐linear steepening and subsequent formation of multiple shocks is a viable mechanism for wave dissipation in the pulsar wind. Wave dissipation both in the free pulsar wind and beyond the wind termination shock is considered.