English

Generating neutron-star magnetic fields: three dynamo phases

High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena 2021-08-24 v2 Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

Abstract

Young neutron stars (NSs) have magnetic fields BB in the range 1012101510^{12}-10^{15} G, believed to be generated by dynamo action at birth. We argue that such a dynamo is actually too inefficient to explain the strongest of these fields. Dynamo action in the mature star is also unlikely. Instead we propose a promising new precession-driven dynamo and examine its basic properties, as well as arguing for a revised mean-field approach to NS dynamos. The precession-driven dynamo could also play a role in field generation in main-sequence stars.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.2103.01213,
  title  = {Generating neutron-star magnetic fields: three dynamo phases},
  author = {S. K. Lander},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2103.01213},
  year   = {2021}
}

Comments

5 pages, 1 figure. Matches version published in MNRAS Letters: figure added since v1, and various parts rewritten for clarity, but arguments unchanged

R2 v1 2026-06-23T23:37:49.257Z