Towards a self-consistent modelling of pulsar magnetospheres

Abstract

The numerical modelling of the general case of an oblique rotator is a very complicated time-dependent 3-dimensional problem and in its full extent probably outside the capicity of present.day computers. A considerable simplification occurs if one can assume that the essential effects may be understood by modelling the magnetosphere of an aligned rotator (where the rotation axis is parallel to the magnetic axis of the neutron star). This assumption is only reasonable for small obliqueness, since by this approach all electromagnetic wave effects are not taken into account.