Energetics of the aligned pulsar magnetosphere

Abstract

An energy analysis is performed on two explicit models, due to Jackson, of a pulsar with aligned magnetic and rotational axes. The unknown parameters of these models are determined by calculating the minimum total energy states of the models. It is found that the minimum energy analysis favors states with extended, dynamically active magnetospheres with a high degrees of corotation. By calculating total power input to the magnetosphere via collisions in the stellar crust, and the total power radiated due to azimuthal drift motion, it is determined that the minimum energy states are the only states where a power balance can be achieved. Consideration of a local power balance condition and dissipative flows in the magnetosphere shows that neither model is completely self-consistent, but one is considerably better than the other. Properties of both models and implications for other models are discussed.