Issue |
A&A
Volume 416, Number 3, March IV 2004
|
|
---|---|---|
Page(s) | 1139 - 1147 | |
Section | Stellar atmospheres | |
DOI | https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361:20034343 | |
Published online | 09 March 2004 |
Electrostatic instability in electron-positron pairs injected in an external electric field
Department of Earth and Space Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka 560-0043, Japan e-mail: takahara@vega.ess.sci.osaka-u.ac.jp
Corresponding author: K. Asano, asano@vega.ess.sci.osaka-u.ac.jp
Received:
17
September
2003
Accepted:
28
November
2003
Motivated by the particle acceleration problem in pulsars,
we numerically investigate electrostatic instability of
electron-positron pairs injected in an external electric field.
The electric field is expected to be so strong that
we cannot neglect effects of spatial variation in the 0th order
distribution functions on the scale of the plasma oscillation.
We assume that pairs are injected mono-energetically with 4-velocity
in a constant external electric field by which electrons
(positrons) are accelerated (decelerated). By solving linear
perturbations of the field and distribution functions of pairs,
we find a new type of electrostatic instability.
The properties of the instability are characterized by u0 and
the ratio R of the braking time-scale
(determined by the external electric field) to the time-scale
of the plasma oscillation.
The growth rate is as large as a few times the plasma frequency.
We discuss the possibility that
the excited waves prevent positrons from returning to
the stellar surface.
Key words: instabilities / plasmas / stars: pulsars: general
© ESO, 2004
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