Related papers: Triggering magnetar outbursts in 3D force-free sim…
The origins of the various outbursts of hard X-rays from magnetars (highly magnetized neutron stars) are still unknown. We identify instabilities in relativistic magnetospheres that can explain a range of X-ray flare luminosities. Crustal…
The magnetar magnetosphere is gradually twisted by shearing from footpoint motion, and stored magnetic energy also increases at the same time. When a state exceeds a threshold, flares/outbursts manifest themselves as a result of a…
Magnetars exhibit a variety of transient high-energy phenomena in the form of bursts, outbursts, and giant flares. It is a common belief that these events originate in the sudden release of magnetic energy due to the rearrangement of a…
The defining trait of magnetars, the most strongly magnetized neutron stars (NSs), is their transient activity in the X/$\gamma$-bands. In particular, many of them undergo phases of enhanced emission, the so-called outbursts, during which…
We present three-dimensional force-free electrodynamics simulations of magnetar magnetospheres that demonstrate the instability of certain degenerate, high energy equilibrium solutions of the Grad-Shafranov equation. This result indicates…
Magnetar magnetospheres gradually become twisted due to shearing by footpoint motion. The axisymmetric solutions for the force-free field with a power-law current model are calculated by taking into account general relativistic effects.…
Global 3-D magnetohydrodynamical simulations have been conducted to study magnetospheric accretion around stars with various spin rates. For slow rotators, characterized by a fastness parameter $\omega_s\lesssim 0.78$, the disk's inner edge…
We present a detailed analysis of the properties of twisted, force-free magnetospheres of non-rotating neutron stars, which are of interest in the modelling of magnetar properties and evolution. In our models the magnetic field smoothly…
Gradual crustal deformation can generate strongly twisted magnetic fields around magnetars, potentially triggering giant flares with total energies exceeding $10^{44}\,\mathrm{erg}$. In this Letter, we present the first relativistic…
We study the long-term quasi-steady evolution of the force-free magnetosphere of a magnetar coupled to its internal magnetic field. We find that magnetospheric currents can be maintained on long timescales of the order of thousands of…
Solar flares and coronal mass ejections, the primary space weather disturbances affecting the entire heliosphere and near-Earth environment, mainly emanate from sunspot regions harbouring high degrees of magnetic twist. However, it is not…
Neutron stars harbour extremely strong magnetic fields within their solid outer crust. The topology of this field strongly influences the surface temperature distribution, and hence the star's observational properties. In this work, we…
Magnetar phenomena are likely intertwined with the location and structure of magnetospheric currents. General-relativistic effects are important in shaping the force-free equilibria describing static configurations, though most studies have…
We present the first simulations of evolving, strongly twisted magnetar magnetospheres. Slow shearing of the magnetar crust is seen to lead to a series of magnetospheric expansion and reconnection events, corresponding to X-ray flares and…
We address a primary question regarding the physical mechanism that triggers the energy release and initiates the onset of eruptions in the magnetar magnetosphere. A self-consistent stationary, axisymmetric model of the magnetar…
A magnetar's magnetosphere gradually evolves by the injection of energy and helicity from the interior. Axisymmetric static solutions for a relativistic force-free magnetosphere with a power-law current model are numerically obtained. They…
Magnetar outbursts are among the most noteworthy manifestations of magnetism in neutron stars. They are episodes in which the X-ray luminosity of a strongly magnetised neutron star swiftly rises by several orders of magnitude to then decay…
Crust quakes are frequently invoked as a mechanism to trigger sudden transients in the magnetospheres of magnetars. In this picture, a mechanical failure of the crust excites seismic motions of the magnetar surface that launch force-free…
Current models of magnetars require extremely strong magnetic fields to explain their observed quiescent and bursting emission, implying that the field strength within the star's outer crust is orders of magnitude larger than the dipole…
We present numerical simulations of driven magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence with weak/moderate imposed magnetic fields. The main goal is to clarify dynamics of magnetic field growth. We also investigate the effects of the imposed…