Skip to main content
Log in

Radiation of Electron-Positron Pairs Induced by Quantum Electrodynamics Vacuum Polarization in Pulsars

  • Published:
International Journal of Theoretical Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Electron-positron pairs will be produced from vacuum when high-energy emissions propagate through the magnetized pair plasmas of pulsars. These pairs then move under the action of strong electromagnetic fields, and emit electromagnetic radiations. Firstly, the property of radiation fields emitted by the pairs is discussed using Maxwell equations and Boltzmann-Vlasov equation. Then the quantum character of the pairs is examined, and the frequency and luminosity of radiations emitted by the pairs are obtained.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Sturrock, P.A.: A Model of Pulsars. Astrophys. J. 164, 529–556 (1971)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. Ruderman, M.A., Sutherland, P.G.: Theory of pulsars - polar caps, sparks, and coherent microwave radiation. Astrophys. J. 196, 51–72 (1975)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. Arons, J.: Pair creation above pulsar polar caps - geometrical structure and energetics of slot gaps. Astrophys. J. 266, 215–241 (1983)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Daugherty, J.K., Harding, A.K.: Electromagnetic cascades in pulsars. Astrophys. J. 252, 337–347 (1982)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Daugherty, J.K., Harding, A.K.: Gamma-ray pulsars: Emission from extended polar cap cascades. Astrophys. J. 458, 278–292 (1996)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. Zhang, B., Harding, A.K.: Full polar cap cascade scenario: Gamma-ray and X-ray luminosities from spin-powered pulsars. Astrophys. J. 532, 1150–1171 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  7. Hibschman, J.A., Arons, J.: Pair production multiplicities in rotation-power pulsars. Astrophys. J. 560, 871–884 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  8. Hibschman, J.A.: Gamma-ray emission from rotation-powered pulsars. Astrophys. J. 565, 1183–1190 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  9. Medin, Z., Lai, D.: Pair cascades in the magnetospheres of strongly magnetized neutron stars. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 406, 1379–1404 (2010)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Erber, T.: High-energy electromagnetic conversion processes in intense magnetic fields. Rev. Mod. Phys. 38, 626–659 (1966)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  11. Daugherty, J.K., Lerche, I.: On piar production in intense electromanetic fields occurring in astrophysical situations. Astrophys. Space Sci. 38, 437–445 (1975)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. Daugherty, J.K., Lerche, I.: Theory of pair production in strong electric and magnetic fields and its applicability to pulsars. Phys. Rev. D 14, 340–355 (1976)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. Breit, G., Wheeler, J.A.: Collision of two light quanta. Phys. Rev. 46, 1087–1091 (1934)

    Article  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  14. Cheng, K.S., Ho, C., Ruderman, M.: Energetic radiation from rapidly spinning pulsars. I - Outer magnetosphere gaps. II - VELA and Crab. Astrophys. J. 300, 500–521 (1986)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Cheng, K.S., Ho, C., Ruderman, M.: Energetic radiation from rapidly spinning pulsars. II. VELA and Crab. Astrophys. J. 300, 522–539 (1986)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. Harding, A.K., Muslimov, A.G., Zhang, B.: Regimes of pulsar pair formation and particle energetics. Astrophys. J. 576, 366–375 (2002)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. Sauter, F.: Zum kleinschen paradoxon. Z. Phys. 73, 547 (1931)

    Article  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  18. Heisenberg, W., Euler, H.: Folgerungen aus der diracschen theorie des positrons. Z. Phys. 98, 714–732 (1936)

    Article  ADS  MATH  Google Scholar 

  19. Schwinger, J.: On gauge invariance and vacuum polarization. Phys. Rev. 82, 664–679 (1951)

    Article  ADS  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  20. Arons, J., Scharlemann, E.T.: Pair formation above pulsar polar caps - Structure of the low altitude acceleration zone. Astrophys. J. 231, 854–879 (1979)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  21. Harding, A.K., Muslimov, A.G.: Particle acceleration zones above pulsar polar caps: Electron and positron pair formation fronts. Astrophys. J. 508, 328–346 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  22. Thompson, C.: Electrodynamics of magnetars. III. Pair creation processes in an ultrostrong magnetic field and particle heating in a dynamic magnetosphere. Astrophys. J. 688, 1258–1281 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  23. Luo, Y., Ji, P.: Pair production induced by quantum electrodynamic vacuum polarization in pulsar. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 420, 1673–1683 (2012)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  24. Brezin, E., Itzykson, C.: Pair production in vacuum by an alternating field. Phys. Rev. D 2, 1191–1199 (1970)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  25. Piazza, A.D.: Pair production at the focus of two equal and oppositely directed laser beams: The effect of the pulsar shape. Phys. Rev. D 70, 053013 (2004)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  26. Kleinert, H., Ruffini, R., Xue, S.S.: Electron-positron pair production in space- or time-dependent electric fields. Phys. Rev. D 78, 025011 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  27. Dumlu, C.K., Dunne, G.V.: Interference effects in Schwinger vacuum pair production for time-dependent laser pulses. Phys. Rev. D 83, 065028 (2011)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  28. Arons, J., Barnard, J.J.: Wave propagation in pulsar magnetospheres - Dispersion relations and normal modes of plasmas in superstrong magnetic fields. Astrophys. J. 302, 120 (1986)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  29. Manchester, R.N., Han, J.L., Qiao, G.J.: Polarization observations of 66 southern pulsars. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 295, 280–298 (1998)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  30. Gedalin, M., Gruman, E., Melrose, D.B.: Low-frequency waves in asymmetric magnetized relativistic pair plasma. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 325, 715 (2001)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  31. Wang, C., Lai, D.: Wave modes in the magnetospheres of pulsars and magnetars. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 377, 1095–1112 (2007)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  32. Wang, C., Lai, D., Han, J.L.: Polarization changes of pulsars due to wave propagation through magnetospheres. Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 403, 569–588 (2010)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  33. Bulanov, S.S., Fedotov, A.M., Pegoraro, F.: Damping of electromagnetic waves due to electron-positron pair production. Phys. Rev. E 71, 016404 (2005)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  34. Yahel, R.Z.: Effects of cyclotron absorption in hot strongly magnetized plasma. Astron. Astrophys. 78, 136–147 (1979)

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  35. Bezchastnov, V.G., Pavlov, G.G.: Quantum relativistic theory of the synchrotron/cyclotron radiation in a strongly-magnetized plasma - The case of longitudinal propagation. Astrophys. Space Sci. 148, 257–288 (1988)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This work was partly supported by the Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project (Project No. S30105) the Shanghai Research Foundation (Grant No. 07dz22020) and the Doctoral Funds of Guizhou normal college (Grant No. 13BS012).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuee Luo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Luo, Y., Ji, P. Radiation of Electron-Positron Pairs Induced by Quantum Electrodynamics Vacuum Polarization in Pulsars. Int J Theor Phys 54, 645–656 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10773-014-2256-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10773-014-2256-9

Keywords

Navigation