Dissipation in Pulsar Winds

Abstract

I review the constraints placed on relativistic pulsar winds by comparing optical and X-ray images of the inner Crab Nebula on the one hand with two-dimensional MHD simulations on the other. The various proposals in the literature for achieving the low magnetisation required at the inner edge of the Nebula, are then discussed, emphasising that of dissipation in the striped-wind picture. The possibility of direct observation of the wind is examined. Based on the predicted orientation of the polarisation vector, I outline a new argument suggesting that the off-pulse component of the optical emission of the Crab pulsar originates in the wind.