Related papers: Pulsars and magnetars
The observed upper bound on the spin down rate of the otherwise typical Soft Gamma-ray Repeater SGR 0418+5729 has challenged the interpretation of this source as a neutron star with ultrastrong magnetic fields. Current limits imply a dipole…
Anomalous X-ray Pulsars and Soft-Gamma Repeaters groups are magnetar candidates featuring low characteristic ages ($\tau = {P\over{2 {\dot P}}}$). At least some of them they should still be associated with the remnants of the explosive…
Among the many different classes of stellar objects, neutron stars provide a unique environment where we can test (at the same time) our understanding of matter with extreme density, temperature, and magnetic field. In particular, the…
We propose a simple explanation for the apparent dearth of radio pulsars associated with young supernova remnants (SNRs). Recent X-ray observations of young remnants have revealed slowly rotating (P ~ 10-s) central pulsars with pulsed…
In the hot environments of the anomalous X-ray pulsars and the soft gamma-ray repeaters, as indicated by their luminous, pulsed, quiescent X-ray emission, $\gamma$-rays generated from the inner gaps may have shorter attenuation lengths via…
Strongly magnetized isolated neutron stars (NSs) are categorized into two families, according mainly to their magnetic field strength. The one with a higher magnetic field of $10^{14}$ - $10^{15}$ G is called magnetar, characterized with…
To date more than half a dozen X-ray dim isolated neutron stars are known. Their X-ray spectra are characterized by soft blackbody-like emission (kT about 50-120 eV) without indication for harder, non-thermal components. These stars…
Young isolated neutron stars (INS) most commonly manifest themselves as rotationally powered pulsars (RPPs) which involve conventional radio pulsars as well as gamma-ray pulsars (GRPs) and rotating radio transients (RRATs). Some other young…
Magnetars are the most magnetic objects in the Universe, serving as unique laboratories to test physics under extreme magnetic conditions that cannot be replicated on Earth. They were discovered in the late 1970s through their powerful…
Well before the radio discovery of pulsars offered the first observational confirmation for their existence (Hewish et al., 1968), it had been suggested that neutron stars might be endowed with very strong magnetic fields of…
Discovered over fifty years ago, neutron stars exhibit a remarkable variety of behaviors depending on their age, magnetic field strength, rotational dynamics, emission mechanisms, and surrounding environments. This diversity in their…
Members of the family of pulsar-like stars are distinguished by their different manifestations observed, i.e., radio pulsars, accretion-driven X-ray pulsars, X-ray bursts, anomalous X-ray pulsars/soft gamma-ray repeaters, compact center…
Soon after the discovery of radio pulsars in 1967, the pulsars are identified as strongly magnetic (typically $10^{12}$G) rapidly rotating ($\sim 10^{2}-0.1$ Hz) neutron stars. However, the mechanism of particle acceleration in the pulsar…
The similarity of rotation periods of, the anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs), the soft gamma ray repeaters (SGRs) and the dim thermal neutron stars (DTNs) suggests a common mechanism with an asymptotic spindown phase through the propeller and…
Soft Gamma Repeaters and the Anomalous X-ray Pulsars are believed to contain slowly spinning "magnetars". The enormous energy liberated in the 2004 Dece 27 giant flare from SGR 1806-20, together with the likely recurrence time of such…
High-energy observations have unveiled peculiar classes of isolated neutron stars which, at variance with radio pulsars, are mostly radio silent and not powered by the star rotation. Among these objects are the magnetars, hyper-magnetized…
It is generally recognized that the electromagnetic multipolar emission from magnetars can be used to explain radiation from Soft Gamma Repeaters (SGRs) or Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs), but they have little impact on the spindown of…
A number of disparate observational and theoretical pieces of evidence indicate that, contrary to the conventional wisdom, neutron stars' closed field lines are populated by dense, hot plasma and may be responsible for producing some radio…
Possible manifestations of accreting magnetars are discussed. It is shown that the four ultra-luminous X-ray pulsars can be understood in the accreting low magnetic field magnetar scenario. The NGC300 ULX1 pulsar may have a higher dipole…
The internal-plateau X-ray emission of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) indicates that a newly born magnetar could be the central object of some GRBs. The observed luminosity and duration of the plateaus suggest that, for such a magnetar, a rapid…