Abstract Details
126 / 2026-03-31 07:31:57
Simulations of pulsar magnetospheres with surface pair injection using VSHPIC
Particle-in-Cell; Vector spherical harmonics; pair injection
Abstract Accepted
Pulsars are rotating neutron stars with extreme magnetic fields. The particle acceleration in pulsar’s magnetospheric is a key topic in high energy astrophysics. The Goldreich-Julian model describes how the induced electric field of a rotating neutron star extracts charge from its surface to fill the magnetosphere. In this theory, the magnetosphere should enter a force-free state when the plasma density reaches the Goldreich-Julian density, which can completely screen the parallel electric field. However, the actual steady-state configuration of the magnetosphere depends strongly on particle injection mechanisms.
We employ VSHPIC [1], a particle-in-cell algorithm based on vector spherical harmonic expansion, to study magnetospheric evolution in the aligned rotators. VSHPIC uses vector spherical harmonics to expand electromagnetic fields and charge and current densities. It allows for a flexible truncation of expansion orders based on accuracy requirements. This approach maintains physical fidelity while significantly reducing computational costs. We initialize the simulation with a dipole magnetic field and the Deutsch vacuum solution, and implement a surface particle emission model following Michel & Li [2]. This allows us to simulate the evolution of the magnetosphere around a rotating magnetized neutron star. Simulation results show that under conditions with only surface particle injection and no pair production, the magnetosphere fails to form closed current circuits. It rapidly evolves into a steady-state structure of a “dead pulsar” with charge-separated domes and an equatorial torus. This work establishes a foundation for future studies incorporating pair production models and the physics of oblique rotators in VSHPIC.
We employ VSHPIC [1], a particle-in-cell algorithm based on vector spherical harmonic expansion, to study magnetospheric evolution in the aligned rotators. VSHPIC uses vector spherical harmonics to expand electromagnetic fields and charge and current densities. It allows for a flexible truncation of expansion orders based on accuracy requirements. This approach maintains physical fidelity while significantly reducing computational costs. We initialize the simulation with a dipole magnetic field and the Deutsch vacuum solution, and implement a surface particle emission model following Michel & Li [2]. This allows us to simulate the evolution of the magnetosphere around a rotating magnetized neutron star. Simulation results show that under conditions with only surface particle injection and no pair production, the magnetosphere fails to form closed current circuits. It rapidly evolves into a steady-state structure of a “dead pulsar” with charge-separated domes and an equatorial torus. This work establishes a foundation for future studies incorporating pair production models and the physics of oblique rotators in VSHPIC.
Important Date
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May 12
2026
Conference Date
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Apr 15 2026
Draft paper submission deadline
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May 12 2026
Registration deadline
Sponsored By
National Key Laboratory of Plasma Physics, Laser Fusion Research Center, China Academy of Engineering Physics
Xiamen University
Xiamen University
Contact Information
Previous Conferences
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2025-05-12 China 西安市
The 8th International Conference on Matter and Radiation at Extremes -
2024-05-13 China Hangzhou
7th International Conference on Matter and Radiation at Extremes -
2023-06-05 China Zhuhai
The 6th International Conference on Matter and Radiation at Extremes -
2020-05-25 China Xi'an
The 5th International Conference on Matter and Radiation at Extremes -
2019-05-29 China Hefei
The 4th International Conference on Matter and Radiation at Extremes -
2017-06-01 China Beijing,China
2nd International Conference on Matter and Radiation at Extremes
