Magnetospheric interactions of binary pulsars as a model for gamma ray bursts

Abstract

I consider a model of GRBs where they arise right before the merging of binary pulsars. Binary pulsars moving through the companion's magnetic field experience a large, motional electric field $\vec{E}=\vec{v}\wedge\vec{B}/c$, which leads to the release in the pulsar magnetosphere of a pair cascade, and the acceleration of a wind of pure pairs. The energy and energy deposition rate of the wind are those of $\gamma$--ray bursts, provided the pulsars have a field $\approx 10^{15}\;G$. Baryon contamination is small, and dominated by tidal heating, leading to $M_{baryons}\approx 10^{-6}M_\odot$, as required by the dirty fireball model of \Mesz, Laguna and Rees.