To cite this article: D P Barsukov et al 2014 J. Phys.: Conf. Ser. 496 012012 View the article online for updates and enhancements. Related content The influence of the positronium photoionization rate on the polar cap X-ray luminosity of radio pulsars D P Barsukov and M V Vorontsov -Positron scattering from Biomolecules J R Machacek, W Tattersall, R A Boadle et al. -Pulsar Polar Cap Heating. II. Abstract. The influence of small-scale magnetic field on the polar cap heating by returning

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... s is considered. The returning positron current is calculated in the framework of two models of rapid and gradual screening. To calculate the electron-positron pair production rate we take into account only the curvature radiation of primary electrons and its absorption in magnetic field. We use the polar cap model with steady space charge limited electron flow. It is shown that the rapid screening model is in the better agreement with observations of old (age > 10 6 years) radio pulsars. The gradual screening model usually leads to too strong heating and too large X-ray luminosities.