Partially screened polar gap and its observational consequences

Abstract

We discuss the model of the pulsar polar gap which implies that the temperature of the polar cap surface is almost equal to the so called critical temperature which is defined by the strength of the magnetic field at the neutron star surface. Observations of thermal X-ray emission point out an important correlation between the hot spot area and the temperature derived from the blackbody fit. Therefore, it seems to be well justified if we assume that geometry and strength of the surface magnetic field differ essentially from that of the pure star centered dipole field. We believe that, major characteristics of the pulsar radiation, including correlation between observed features of X-ray and radio emissions can be naturally explained in the frame of this model. © 2008 American Institute of Physics.