MAGNETOSPHERIC SCATTERING OF PULSAR SURFACE RADIATION

We consider the effect of resonant scattering of less than or equal to keV surface emission in the closed zone of pulsar magnetospheres. For magnetospheric charge densities comparable to the corotation value, s ubtle effects are expected in the soft X-ray and visible/UV regimes. R adiation support of a dense closed-zone plasma may, however, give rise to large scattering-induced pulse modulation; we discuss limits to su ch plasma population. If closed-zone scattering can be detected, the r esulting pulse profiles are sensitive to details of the neutron star g ravity field. For millisecond pulsars, in particular, scattering pulse features can provide an interesting probe of relativistic gravity.