Modulational Instability, Mode Conversion, and Radio Emission in the Magnetized Pair Plasma of Pulsars

A theoretical analysis of coupled mode equations describes the evolution of plasma wave turbulence in the strongly magnetized pair plasma of the pulsar polar cap. The onset of turbulence is a modulational instability of a large amplitude electrostatic wave. Numerical solution follows the nonlinear evolution towards a strongly turbulent state characterized by the multi-dimensional collapse of wave packets. The turbulence generates electromagnetic modes which can escape the plasma. The modulational conversion process provides a fairly simple scenerio for pulsar emission: an electrostatic plasma wave instability and the subsequent modulational mode coupling to escaping radiation.

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