Physics of the Pulsar Magnetosphere

Physics of the Pulsar Magnetosphere
Author: V. S. Beskin
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 186
Release: 1993-07-29
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780521417464

This book presents the theory of the electrodynamic phenomena that occur in the magnetosphere of a pulsar. It also provides a clear picture of the formation and evolution of neutron stars. The authors address the basic physical processes of electron-positron plasma production, the generation of electric fields and currents, and the emission of radio waves and gamma rays. The book also reviews the current observational data, and devotes a complete chapter to a detailed comparison of this data with accepted theory and with some recent theoretical predictions. Tables containing the values of the physical parameters of all observed radio pulsars are also provided.

Pulsar Astronomy

Pulsar Astronomy
Author: Andrew Lyne
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 375
Release: 2012-03
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1107010144

Now in its fourth edition, Pulsar Astronomy provides a thoroughly revised and updated introduction to the field of pulsar astronomy.

Essential Radio Astronomy

Essential Radio Astronomy
Author: James J. Condon
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 376
Release: 2016-04-05
Genre: Science
ISBN: 069113779X

The ideal text for a one-semester course in radio astronomy Essential Radio Astronomy is the only textbook on the subject specifically designed for a one-semester introductory course for advanced undergraduates or graduate students in astronomy and astrophysics. It starts from first principles in order to fill gaps in students' backgrounds, make teaching easier for professors who are not expert radio astronomers, and provide a useful reference to the essential equations used by practitioners. This unique textbook reflects the fact that students of multiwavelength astronomy typically can afford to spend only one semester studying the observational techniques particular to each wavelength band. Essential Radio Astronomy presents only the most crucial concepts—succinctly and accessibly. It covers the general principles behind radio telescopes, receivers, and digital backends without getting bogged down in engineering details. Emphasizing the physical processes in radio sources, the book's approach is shaped by the view that radio astrophysics owes more to thermodynamics than electromagnetism. Proven in the classroom and generously illustrated throughout, Essential Radio Astronomy is an invaluable resource for students and researchers alike. The only textbook specifically designed for a one-semester course in radio astronomy Starts from first principles Makes teaching easier for astronomy professors who are not expert radio astronomers Emphasizes the physical processes in radio sources Covers the principles behind radio telescopes and receivers Provides the essential equations and fundamental constants used by practitioners Supplementary website includes lecture notes, problem sets, exams, and links to interactive demonstrations An online illustration package is available to professors

Clocks in the Sky

Clocks in the Sky
Author: Geoff McNamara
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 192
Release: 2009-04-24
Genre: Science
ISBN: 038776562X

Pulsars are rapidly spinning neutron stars, the collapsed cores of once massive stars that ended their lives as supernova explosions. In this book, Geoff McNamara explores the history, subsequent discovery and contemporary research into pulsar astronomy. The story of pulsars is brought right up to date with the announcement in 2006 of a new breed of pulsar, Rotating Radio Transients (RRATs), which emit short bursts of radio signals separated by long pauses. These may outnumber conventional radio pulsars by a ratio of four to one. Geoff McNamara ends by pointing out that, despite the enormous success of pulsar research in the second half of the twentieth century, the real discoveries are yet to be made including, perhaps, the detection of the hypothetical pulsar black hole binary system by the proposed Square Kilometre Array - the largest single radio telescope in the world.

Handbook of Pulsar Astronomy

Handbook of Pulsar Astronomy
Author: D. R. Lorimer
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 316
Release: 2005
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780521828239

This 2004 book provides a concise description of pulsar research, presenting key techniques, background information and results.

Neutron Stars and Pulsars

Neutron Stars and Pulsars
Author: Werner Becker
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 702
Release: 2009-02-11
Genre: Science
ISBN: 354076965X

Neutron stars are the most compact astronomical objects in the universe which are accessible by direct observation. Studying neutron stars means studying physics in regimes unattainable in any terrestrial laboratory. Understanding their observed complex phenomena requires a wide range of scientific disciplines, including the nuclear and condensed matter physics of very dense matter in neutron star interiors, plasma physics and quantum electrodynamics of magnetospheres, and the relativistic magneto-hydrodynamics of electron-positron pulsar winds interacting with some ambient medium. Not to mention the test bed neutron stars provide for general relativity theories, and their importance as potential sources of gravitational waves. It is this variety of disciplines which, among others, makes neutron star research so fascinating, not only for those who have been working in the field for many years but also for students and young scientists. The aim of this book is to serve as a reference work which not only reviews the progress made since the early days of pulsar astronomy, but especially focuses on questions such as: "What have we learned about the subject and how did we learn it?", "What are the most important open questions in this area?" and "What new tools, telescopes, observations, and calculations are needed to answer these questions?". All authors who have contributed to this book have devoted a significant part of their scientific careers to exploring the nature of neutron stars and understanding pulsars. Everyone has paid special attention to writing educational comprehensive review articles with the needs of beginners, students and young scientists as potential readers in mind. This book will be a valuable source of information for these groups.

Rotation and Accretion Powered Pulsars

Rotation and Accretion Powered Pulsars
Author: Pranab Ghosh
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 793
Release: 2007
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9812708464

This book is an introduction to pulsars, a key area in high energy astrophysics with continuing potential for fundamental discoveries. Throughout the book runs the unifying thread of the evolutionary link between rotation-powered pulsars and accretion-powered pulsars OCo a milestone of modern astrophysics. Early textbooks on pulsars dealt almost entirely with rotation-powered ones, while accounts of pulsars in volumes on X-ray binaries focused almost exclusively on accretion-powered ones. This is the first textbook to treat these two kinds of pulsars simultaneously with equal importance, stressing the fact that both are rotating, magnetic neutron stars, operating under different conditions during different parts of their lives. It describes the observational properties of both kinds of pulsars, summarizes our physical understanding of these properties, and pays detailed attention to the physics of superdense matter which neutron stars are composed of, as well as to the superfluidity which is expected to occur in neutron stars. Evolution from rotation-power to accretion-power, and vice versa, are carefully described. The effects of the strong magnetic fields of neutron stars on themselves, their emission properties, and their environments are discussed, as are the origin and evolution of such magnetic fields. Also treated is the superbly accurate verification of Einstein''s theory of general relativity through timing studies of binary pulsars, which led to the award of the Nobel Prize to Hulse and Taylor in 1993. On each topic, the book starts with simple, basic physical concepts, and builds up the exposition to the point where the latest and most exciting developments become accessible to the reader."

Millisecond Pulsars

Millisecond Pulsars
Author: Sudip Bhattacharyya
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 334
Release: 2022-03-15
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030851982

This book includes nine chapters written by internationally recognized experts, covering all aspects of millisecond pulsars in one concise and cohesive volume. These aspects include pulsations powered by stellar spin, accretion and thermonuclear burning of accreted matter, their physics and utility, stellar evolution and the extreme physics of super-dense stellar cores. The book includes substantial background material as well as recent theoretical and multi-wavelength observational results. The volume will thus be useful for professional astronomers and graduate students alike. What is the behavior of the strong nuclear interaction, and what are the matter constituents at ultrahigh densities in neutron star cores? How do old neutron stars in binaries evolve? How does their magnetosphere interact with the surrounding plasma to accelerate particles and emit radiation observed at all wavelengths? These are just a few of the questions that millisecond pulsars are helping us answer and will settle in the near future with the next generation of instruments. Such quickly rotating, highly magnetized neutron stars are remarkable natural laboratories that allow us to investigate the fundamental constituents of matter and their interactions under extreme conditions that cannot be reproduced in terrestrial laboratories.

On The Pulsar

On The Pulsar
Author: Boris B Kadomtsev
Publisher: World Scientific
Total Pages: 146
Release: 2009-12-28
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9814466301

This book serves as a good introduction to the physics of pulsars by explaining the subject matter in simple terms which are understandable to both undergraduate physics students and also the general public. On the Pulsar links together ideas about physics, informatics and biology, and contains many original examples, problems and solutions. It starts with simple examples about the regular structures that are possible in strong magnetic fields and the author then suggests that special conditions on the pulsar can result in some forms of self-organization. It will also make a valuable teaching guide.