How strong are pulsar winds?

[SilentSky23]

So, based on what I read, pulsar winds can move at speeds near that of light. Now, we all know with relativistic speeds, mass increases as it gets closer to light. Does that make such winds strong? If so, how strong are they? Do I need to add any more details? If so, what kind of details?

[MigL]

I don't know if a pulsar would have 'winds' as we commonly understand the term.
A pulsar is basically a neutron star ( composed of degenerate neutrons ) and, as such, would not really have an atmosphere where winds might arise.
A pulsar is, however a specific type of neutron star. One with a strong magnetic field, and a well regulated rotation, such that the electromagnetic radiation emitted from its magnetic poles is observed at extremely regular intervals by an observer ( say on Earth ).

By 'wind', do you maybe mean the speed of emissions of the polar jets ?
They are EMR and therefore move at c .

[SilentSky23]

Well, I read here,

"A pulsar also has a wind, and charged particles, sometimes accelerated to near the speed of light, form a nebula around the pulsar: a pulsar wind nebula."

https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/news/su201643

Either way, let us go by wind as we commonly understand them for a moment.

If a wind was moving at relativistic speeds, and had its mass increased accordingly, how strong would it be? Would it be devastating to something or anything on Earth, or to any celestial bodies like planets or comets for that matter?

[MigL]

Relativistic mass is essentially kinetic energy, it is a frame dependent phenomenon, and not actual mass.
The ionized particles are essentially in distant orbits about the pulsar which has an extremely strong gravitational well, and are whipped about by the equally strong magnetic field, although I would have thought the magnetic field to be tightly localized ( apparently not, as per your link )
This is not a surface phenomenon as we would normally understand 'wind', but more like the solar wind, and its interaction with Earth's magnetic field.
Additionally, because of the strength of the magnetic field of the pulsar, any ionized particles that would be considered an 'atmosphere' about the pulsar ( close to the surface ), would have a preferred direction of travel; Easy along the magnetic field lines, but extremely difficult crossing them.

[SilentSky23]

1 minute ago, MigL said:

Relativistic mass is essentially kinetic energy, it is a frame dependent phenomenon, and not actual mass.
The ionized particles are essentially in distant orbits about the pulsar which has an extremely strong gravitational well, and are whipped about by the equally strong magnetic field, although I would have thought the magnetic field to be tightly localized ( apparently not, as per your link )
This is not a surface phenomenon as we would normally understand 'wind', but more like the solar wind, and its interaction with Earth's magnetic field.
Additionally, because of the strength of the magnetic field of the pulsar, any ionized particles that would be considered an 'atmosphere' about the pulsar ( close to the surface ), would have a preferred direction of travel; Easy along the magnetic field lines, but extremely difficult crossing them.

I think I do see what you mean. Thanks.

[swansont]

8 hours ago, SilentSky23 said:

So, based on what I read, pulsar winds can move at speeds near that of light. Now, we all know with relativistic speeds, mass increases as it gets closer to light. Does that make such winds strong? If so, how strong are they? Do I need to add any more details? If so, what kind of details?

Our sun has a solar wind - particles are emitted and/or accelerated by it. The detail you are missing is the density, or flux (the former for the nebula, the latter for the wind). The particles are energetic, but there probably aren't many of them, relatively speaking.