  We show that toroidal magnetic field annihilation in the equatorial current
sheet of the pulsar magnetosphere is related to how fast poloidal magnetic
field lines close as we move away from the light cylinder. This determines the
reconnection radial electric field which directly accelerates particles in the
neutral layer inside the equatorial current sheet. The efficiency of poloidal
magnetic field closure near the light cylinder may be measurable through the
pulsar braking index. We argue that, the lower the efficiency of pair
formation, the higher the braking index. We also argue that synchrotron
radiation reaction in the neutral layer does not inhibit the accelerated
particles from reaching the maximum energy of about 10^16 eV available in the
open pulsar magnetosphere.
