Resonant Conversion of Photon Modes Due to Vacuum Polarization in a Magnetized Plasma: Implications for X-Ray Emission from Magnetars

Dong Lai; Wynn C. G. Ho

doi:10.1086/338074

paper

Resonant Conversion of Photon Modes Due to Vacuum Polarization in a Magnetized Plasma: Implications for X-Ray Emission from Magnetars

arXiv:astro-ph/0108127 · doi:10.1086/338074

Abstract

It is known that vacuum polarization can modify the photon propagation modes in the atmospheric plasma of a strongly magnetized neutron star. A resonance occurs when the effect of vacuum polarization on the photon modes balances that of the plasma. We show that a photon (with energy $E\go$ a few keV) propagating outward in the atmosphere can convert from one polarization mode into another as it traverses the resonant density, $ρ_{r es} ≃ Y_{e}^{- 1} η^{- 2} (B /1 0^{14} G)^{2} (E /1 k e V)^{2}$ g cm $^{- 3}$ , where $Y_{e}$ is the electron fraction, and $η \sim 1$ is a slowly varying function of the magnetic field $B$ . The physics of this mode conversion is analogous to the Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein mechanism for neutrino oscillation. Because the two photon modes have vastly different opacities in the atmosphere, this vacuum-induced mode conversion can significantly affect radiative transport and surface emission from strongly magnetized neutron stars.

7 pages with 3 figures. Minor changes. To be published in ApJ (Feb 2002)

Resonant Conversion of Photon Modes Due to Vacuum Polarization in a Magnetized Plasma: Implications for X-Ray Emission from Magnetars

Abstract

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