Why do pulsars emit flashing beams of radiation?

[Andy DS]

How did you find PF?

Surfing the net

I like to think I'm a scientifically literate person and as an engineer I find that physicists don't always explain some of the more interesting details of how things work like why does a pulsar flash if the beam of radiation comes from the pole, wouldn't this mean it always points in the same direction.

 

[berkeman]

Welcome to PhysicsForums, Andy.

This section of the forums only for introductions, not for asking questions. Please start a new thread in the technical physics forums with your question, and post links to the reading you have been doing so far on your question. You will get good help when you do that.

If the technical forum that you post in has a "thread prefix" rating system, it's probably best to mark your thread title with the "I" = Intermediate level (undergraduate level). An "A" prefix means you want the discussion to be at the Advanced / graduate school level.

 

[berkeman]

BTW, the Astrophysics forum may be the best choice for that type of question about Pulsars:

https://www.physicsforums.com/forums/astronomy-and-astrophysics.71/