Pulsar Magnetospheres: Beyond the Flat Spacetime Dipole

Understand

Most studies of the pulsar magnetosphere have assumed a pure magnetic dipole in flat spacetime.

• However, recent work suggests that the effects of general relativity are in fact of vital importance and that realistic pulsar magnetic fields will have a significant nondipolar component.
• We introduce a general analytical method for studying the axisymmetric force-free magnetosphere of a slowly-rotating star of arbitrary magnetic field, mass, radius and moment of inertia, including all the effects of general relativity.
• We confirm that spacelike current is generically present in the polar caps (suggesting a pair production region), irrespective of the stellar magnetic field.