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A pulsar's spin-down luminosity is the rate of its kinetic-energy loss in the slowing of its rotation. This rate is considered a good approximation of the luminosity of the pulsar's EMR emission, though the pulsar could possibly have other energy sources and sinks. (The word luminosity is used analogously with the way the word is often used to indicate the energy-generation of fusion within stars, in that each is the source of the energy with which the object's EMR is produced.)