Pulsar disk systems

Abstract

It is proposed that radio pulsars have the same basic physical features as X-ray pulsars. Specifically, it is suggested that active radio pulsars are rotating neutron stars surrounded by fossil disks left over from the collapse event and that energy is extracted from the rotation of the neutron star by interaction with the disk to produce pulsar luminosity. Attention is given to a model in which the neutron star acts as a unipolar generator (or Faraday disk dynamo) and the disk acts as a load. The self-excitation of the disk/pulsar system is considered along with aspects of disk persistence, pulsed emission, and magnetically field aligned currents to the disk. An investigation is conducted regarding the possibility of a deposition of material in the form of a disk about a pulsar, taking into account questions concerning disk survival. It is found that there are some promising features regarding a disk system.