
Adopting our new method for matching general relativistic, ideal magnetohydrodynamics to its force-free limit, we perform the first systematic simulations of force-free pulsar magnetospheres in general relativity. We endow the neutron star with a general relativistic dipole magnetic field, model the interior with ideal magnetohydrodynamics, and adopt force-free electrodynamics in the exterior. Comparing the spin-down luminosity to its corresponding Minkowski value, we find that general relativistic effects give rise to a modest enhancement: the maximum enhancement for $n=1$ polytropes is $\sim 23\%$. Evolving a rapidly rotating $n=0.5$ polytrope we find an even greater enhancement of $\sim 35\%$. Using our simulation data, we derive fitting formulas for the pulsar spin-down luminosity as a function of the neutron star compaction, angular speed, and dipole magnetic moment. We expect stiffer equations of state and more rapidly spinning neutron stars to lead to even larger enhancements in the spin-down luminosity.
11 pages, 5 figures. Matches published version
Astrofísica, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Astronomia, FOS: Physical sciences, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc), Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
Astrofísica, High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE), Astronomia, FOS: Physical sciences, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc), Astrophysics - High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena, General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology
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