3D particle-in-cell simulations of pulsar wind-disk interaction: application to the transitional millisecond pulsar PSR J1023+0038
Transitional millisecond pulsars constitute a peculiar subclass of neutron stars in which the pulsar alternates between accretion-powered and rotation-powered states, depending on the variations in the mass accretion flow coming from a low-mass companion star. A third intermediate state, referred to as ``sub-luminous disk state'', has been identified. During this state, observations indicate the presence of a disk surrounding the pulsar, and the system exhibits intriguing features, such as broad optical and X-ray pulsations characterized by a high luminosity. To date, no ab initio model of a pulsar wind interacting with an accretion disk has been developed to address these observables. We perform three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of a pulsar magnetosphere surrounded by a perfectly conducting torus to model the interaction between the pulsar wind and the disk. We find that the presence of the disk induces a significant reconfiguration of the magnetosphere compared to the rotation-powered state, leading to enhanced plasma density at the inner disk boundary, increased magnetic field strength, and more efficient plasma isotropization and particle acceleration. As a result, the synchrotron radiation is substantially enhanced, and characterized by a strong continuous component and either one or two-peaked light curves, depending on the pulsar's magnetic obliquity. The polarization degree is reduced compared to isolated systems, and its energy dependence is explored. The rotation of the polarization angle can also be altered, depending on the observer's viewing angle. The model successfully reproduces some of the main features of the optical and X-ray pulsed emission originating from PSR J1023+0038, thereby corroborating the scenario in which these pulsations originate from synchrotron radiation generated as the pulsar wind interacts with the inner edge of the disk.