Slide 50 of 59
Notes:
The source of the pulsar radiation may be close to the surface of the light cylinder. We will consider a simplified case, illustrated above, which shows the equatorial field pattern of a rotating dipole where the rotation axis is perpendicular to the dipole moment.
P is on the tangent to the observer and P’ is the point where an open field line crosses the light cylinder. Both points are possible locations of emission given the likely presence of high energy electrons around a pulsar. The restricted range in longitudes where this occurs (about 10degrees) causes radiation pulses to be observed and matches the observed pulse widths of pulsars.
