Mechanism of circular polarization in giant pulses and fast radio bursts

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Wu, Hui-Chun
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Wu, Hui-Chun
author_facet Wu, Hui-Chun
contents Some giant pulses and fast radio bursts exhibit notable circular polarization, which remains unexplained and carries significant implications for their emission mechanisms. In this study, we identify multiple nanoshot pairs uniformly spaced by approximately 21 $μ$s within a giant pulse emitted by the Crab pulsar. Among these pairs, a subset displays left-hand and right-hand circular polarization in two distinct nanoshots. We propose that the occurrence of such nanoshot pairs with dual circular polarizations arises from the fragmentation of a linearly-polarized nanoshot along the magnetic field lines under the extreme Faraday effect, leveraging highly-asymmetrical pair plasma and the ultra-intense field of nanoshots. The asymmetry in pair plasmas is likely linked to discharge activities in pulsars. Moreover, the intense field of nanoshots induces cyclotron resonance within the magnetosphere, effectively slowing down the propagation velocity of the circularly polarized mode. Our findings suggest that Crab giant pulses composing nanoshots originate in its polar cap region and escape the magnetosphere along the polar magnetic field. This mechanism can also elucidate the origin of circular polarization in some fast radio bursts and thus lends support to their magnetospheric origin.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2403_13559
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Mechanism of circular polarization in giant pulses and fast radio bursts
Wu, Hui-Chun
Plasma Physics
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Some giant pulses and fast radio bursts exhibit notable circular polarization, which remains unexplained and carries significant implications for their emission mechanisms. In this study, we identify multiple nanoshot pairs uniformly spaced by approximately 21 $μ$s within a giant pulse emitted by the Crab pulsar. Among these pairs, a subset displays left-hand and right-hand circular polarization in two distinct nanoshots. We propose that the occurrence of such nanoshot pairs with dual circular polarizations arises from the fragmentation of a linearly-polarized nanoshot along the magnetic field lines under the extreme Faraday effect, leveraging highly-asymmetrical pair plasma and the ultra-intense field of nanoshots. The asymmetry in pair plasmas is likely linked to discharge activities in pulsars. Moreover, the intense field of nanoshots induces cyclotron resonance within the magnetosphere, effectively slowing down the propagation velocity of the circularly polarized mode. Our findings suggest that Crab giant pulses composing nanoshots originate in its polar cap region and escape the magnetosphere along the polar magnetic field. This mechanism can also elucidate the origin of circular polarization in some fast radio bursts and thus lends support to their magnetospheric origin.
title Mechanism of circular polarization in giant pulses and fast radio bursts
topic Plasma Physics
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.13559