Antenna source of radio-frequency emission in ion-proton pulsars

Abstract

The growth of a longitudinal or quasi-longitudinal Langmuir mode in the outward-moving beam of ions and protons that forms the open sector of an ion-proton pulsar magnetosphere radiates as an analogue of an end-fed high-impedance horizontal straight-wire antenna an integral number of half-waves in length. The radiation has, broadly, the energy flux, linear polarization and spectral index that are widely observed: also, the notch phenomenon seen in some integrated pulse profiles occurs naturally. The new field of pulsar observations below 100 MHz may lead to productive tests of the radio emission mechanism.

6 pages: accepted for publication in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society; replaced to include a new Section 2 containing an extended description of the assumptions on which the paper is based; later sections and conclusions are unchanged

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