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A pedagogical review of the vacuum retarded dipole model of pulsar spin down

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 September 2022

J. C. Satherley  and
C. Gordon Open the ORCID record for C. Gordon [Opens in a new window]
J. C. Satherley*
Affiliation:
School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
C. Gordon
Affiliation:
School of Physical and Chemical Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
*
Corresponding author: J. C. Satherley, email: jsa113@uclive.ac.nz.
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Abstract

Pulsars are rapidly spinning highly magnetised neutron stars. Their spin period is observed to decrease with time. An early analytical model for this process was the vacuum retarded dipole (VRD) by Deutsch (1955, AnAp, 18). This model assumes an idealised star and it finds that the rotational energy is radiated away by the electromagnetic fields. This model has been superseded by more realistic numerical simulations that account for the non-vacuum like surroundings of the neutron star. However, the VRD still provides a reasonable approximation and is a useful limiting case that can provide some qualitative understanding. We provide detailed derivations of the spin down and related electromagnetic field equations of the VRD solution. We also correct typographical errors in the general field equations and boundary conditions used by Deutsch (1955, AnAp, 18).

Keywords

stars: pulsarsstars: magnetic fieldstars: neutron
Type
Review Article
Information
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia , Volume 39 , 2022 , e038
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Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Astronomical Society of Australia

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