Astron. Astrophys. 360, 592-602 (2000)

The effect of magnetospheric refraction on the morphology of pulsar profiles

S.A. Petrova

Institute of Radio Astronomy, Chervonopraporna St.4, Kharkov, 61002 Ukraine (rai@ira.kharkov.ua)

Received 7 March 2000 / Accepted 19 May 2000

Abstract

Refraction of ordinary superluminous waves in an ultrarelativistic highly magnetized plasma of pulsars is considered. The effect is found to cause an essential redistribution of rays in final directions which leads to the formation of separate components in pulse profiles. It is shown that refraction of waves in pulsar magnetospheres can account for the main features of profile morphology given that the hollow-cone emission model is the case. The observed frequency evolution of pulsar profiles appears to be well explained by the frequency dependence of the refraction efficiency if one also takes into account the effects of observational geometry. Special attention is paid to the interpretation of the inner conal components within the frame of our model.

Key words: plasmas waves stars: pulsars: general

SIMBAD Objects

Contents

• 1. Introduction
• 2. General theory of refraction in pulsar plasma
  • 2.1. Ray equations
  • 2.2. Plasma density distribution
  • 2.3. Characteristic features of refraction
• 3. Pulse profiles with account for refraction
  • 3.1. Ray grouping
  • 3.2. Frequency evolution of pulse profile
  • 3.3. The effect of initial intensity distribution
• 4. Discussion
• 5. Conclusions
• References

© European Southern Observatory (ESO) 2000

Online publication: August 17, 2000
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