It seems that the model of an "aligned" rotator is a common model to describe most features of isolated pulsars:
Since the first works on pulsar magnetospheres, a stationary force- free magnetosphere of an aligned rotator has been considered as an underlying model for the real pulsar magnetosphere for more than 30 years.
(Quote and figure below are randomly somewhat randomly picked from Timokhin, 2006.)
My very basic question is now: Why a rotating dipole field in vacuum should produce any radiation (or current)?
The whole geometry seems to have cylindrical symmetry, as rotation and dipole axis are supposed to be aligned:
So spinning it around its symmetry axis should not change the B-field anywhere in space. And without a varying B-field, no current or radiation.
Obviously I am missing something here.