Faraday conversion in pair-symmetric winds of magnetars and Fast Radio Bursts

Abstract

We consider propagation of polarization in the inner parts of pair-symmetric magnetar winds, close to the light cylinder. Pair plasmas in magnetic field is birefringent, a $\propto B^2$ effect. As a result, such plasmas work as phase retarders: Stokes parameters follow a circular trajectory on the Poincare sphere. In the highly magnetized regime, $\omega, \, \omega_p \ll \omega_B$, the corresponding rotation rates are independent of the magnetic field. A plasma screen with dispersion measure DM $\sim 10^{-6}$ pc cm$^{-3}$ can induce large polarization changes, including large effective Rotation Measure (RM). The frequency scaling of the (generalized) RM, $ \propto \lambda ^\alpha $, mimics the conventional RM with $\alpha =2$ for small phase shifts, but can be as small as $\alpha =1$. In interpreting observations the frequency scaling of polarization parameters should be fitted independently. The model offers explanations for (i) large circular polarization component observed in FRBs, with right-left switching; (ii) large RM, with possible sign changes; (iii) time-depend variable polarization. Relatively dense and slow wind is needed - the corresponding effect in regular pulsars is small.