Related papers: Magnetars: the physics behind observations
Studying the physical processes occurring in the region just above the magnetic poles of strongly magnetized, accreting binary neutron stars is essential to our understanding of stellar and binary system evolution. Perhaps more importantly,…
Neutron stars enable us to study both the highest densities and the highest magnetic fields in the known Universe. In this article I review what can be learned about such fundamental physics using magnetar bursts. Both the instability…
In this paper we summarize some aspects of the wind accretion theory in high mass X-ray binaries hosting a magnetic neutron star and a supergiant companion. In particular, we concentrate on the different types of interaction between the…
There is growing evidence that two classes of high-energy sources, the Soft Gamma Repeaters and the Anomalous X-ray Pulsars contain slowly spinning ``magnetars'', i.e. neutron stars whose emission is powered by the release of energy from…
This paper suggests the idea that all neutron stars experienced at birth an ultrafast decay of their magnetic fields from their initial values to their current surface values. If the electromagnetic energy radiated during this field decay…
Magnetars (SGRs and AXPs) are one of the most evolutionary paths of a neutron star. These objects have an ultra-strong magnetic field $B \sim 10^{15}$ G at their surface and show persistent X-ray pulsations and transient bursts. Till date…
It is suggested that magnetars eventually become unstable to a dynamic overturning instability that destroys most of their dipole moment in a single event. It is further suggested that such an instability would produce a supergiant version…
Thermal surface emissions have now been detected from more than a dozen isolated neutron stars, including radio pulsars, radio-quiet neutron stars and magnetars. These detections can potentially provide important information on the interior…
Pulsars are rapidly spinning neutron stars, that radiate at the expense of their strong magnetic field and their high surface temperature. Five decades of multi-wavelength observations showed a large variety of physical parameters, such as…
It is generally accepted that Anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs) and Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters (SGRs) are magnetars, i.e. neutron stars with extremely high surface magnetic fields ($B > 10^{14}$ G). The origin of these high magnetic fields is…
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…
Neutron stars are fascinating astrophysical objects immersed in strong gravitational and electromagnetic fields, at the edge of our current theories. These stars manifest themselves mostly as pulsars, emitting a timely very stable and…
Soft Gamma-ray Repeaters (SGRs) are among the most enigmatic sources known today. Exhibiting huge X- and Gamma-ray bursts and flares, as well as soft quiescent X-ray emission, their energy source remains a mystery. Just as mysterious are…
X-ray pulsars (XRPs) are accreting strongly magnetised neutron stars (NSs) in binary systems with, as a rule, massive optical companions. Very reach phenomenology and high observed flux put them into the focus of observational and…
Persistent activity of magnetars is associated with electric discharge that continually injects relativistic particles into the magnetosphere. Large active magnetic loops around magnetars must be filled with outflowing particles that…
Magnetars are highly magnetized young neutron stars that occasionally produce enormous bursts and flares of X-rays and gamma-rays. Of the approximately thirty magnetars currently known in our Galaxy and Magellanic Clouds, five have…
Many gamma-ray bursts are followed by periods of extended emission. At least in some cases, the burst afterglow may be powered by a rapidly rotating, highly-magnetised neutron star, which spins down due to electromagnetic and gravitational…
A fraction of high-mass X-ray binaries are supergiant fast X-ray transients. These systems have on average low X-ray luminosities, but display short flares during which their X-ray luminosity rises by a few orders of magnitude. The leading…
Strong magnetic field of accreting neutron stars ($10^{14}$ G) is hard to probe by X-ray spectroscopy but can be indirectly inferred from spin-up/spin-down measurement in X-ray pulsars. The existing observations of slowly rotating X-ray…
Soft-gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) are galactic X-ray stars that emit numerous short-duration (about 0.1 s) bursts of hard X-rays during sporadic active periods. They are thought to be magnetars: strongly magnetized neutron stars with…