Abstract
We show that inverse Compton losses of ultrarelativistic electrons travelling upstream through the outflowing fields of a radio pulsar prevent the entry ofall cosmic ray electrons into most pulsars’ magnetospheres. We also argue that gamma ray triggering is probably not relevant, and conclude that the external triggering of electron-positron cascades proposed by Ruderman & Sutherland and by Radhakrishnan is not likely to be a major contributor to the plasma dynamics of pulsars.
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Arons, J., Barnard, J.J. Are pulsars externally triggered?. J Astrophys Astron 4, 191–196 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02714906
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02714906