Related papers: Magnetar Spin-Down
Recently, neutron stars with very strong surface magnetic fields have been suggested as the site for the origin of observed soft gamma repeaters (SGRs). We investigate the influence of a strong magnetic field on the properties and internal…
Pulsars are believed to loose their rotational kinetic energy primarily by a large amplitude low frequency electromagnetic wave which is eventually converted into particle creation, acceleration and followed by a broad band radiation…
High magnetic fields are a distinguishing feature of neutron stars and the existence of sources (the soft gamma repeaters and the anomalous X-ray pulsars) hosting an ultra-magnetized neutron star (or magnetar) has been recognized in the…
A newly discovered instability in rotating neutron stars, driven by gravitational radiation reaction acting on the stars' $r$-modes, is shown here to set an upper limit on the spin rate of young neutron stars. We calculate the timescales…
We measured the period and spin-down rate for SGR 1900+14 during the quiescient period two years before the recent interval of renewed burst activity. We have shown that the spin-down age of SGR 1900+14 is consistent with a braking index of…
We reconsider the rejuvenation mechanism as proposed by Shull, Fesen, & Saken (1989). These authors suggest that an active pulsar can catch up with, and rejuvenate the shell of the associated supernova remnant. The morphology of the SNRs…
Adopting our new method for matching general relativistic, ideal magnetohydrodynamics to its force-free limit, we perform the first systematic simulations of force-free pulsar magnetospheres in general relativity. We endow the neutron star…
Recent measurements of the spin-down rates of soft gamma ray repeaters (SGRs) and anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) have been interpreted as evidence that these objects are ``magnetars'': neutron stars spinning down by magnetic dipole…
A typical young pulsar slows down at an imperceptible rate, its spin period increasing by less than 10 microseconds over the course of a year. However, the inertia of a pulsar is so extreme that to effect this tiny change in rotation rate,…
We solve the time-dependent dynamics of axisymmetric, general relativistic MHD winds from rotating neutron stars. The mass loss rate is obtained self consistently as a solution of the MHD equations, subject to a finite thermal pressure at…
Angular momentum loss by the plasma wind is considered as a universal feature of isolated neutron stars including magnetars. The wind nebulae powered by magnetars allow us to compare the wind properties and the spin-evolution of magnetars…
The light curve of many supernovae (SNe) and gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) can be explained by a sustained injection of extra energy from its possible central engine, a rapidly rotating strongly magnetic neutron star (i.e. magnetar). The magnetic…
In the seconds following their formation in core-collapse supernovae, "proto"-magnetars drive neutrino-heated magneto-centrifugal winds. Using a suite of two-dimensional axisymmetric MHD simulations, we show that relatively slowly rotating…
We develop a model of SGR in which a supernova leaves planets orbiting a neutron star in intersecting eccentric orbits. These planets will collide in $\sim 10^4$ years if their orbits are coplanar. Some fragments of debris lose their…
This paper intends to give a broad overview of the present knowledge about neutron star magnetic fields, their origin and evolution. An up-to-date overview of the rich phenomenology (encompassing ``classical'' and millisecond radio pulsars,…
Strongly-magnetized, rapidly-rotating neutron stars are contenders for the central engines of both long-duration gamma-ray bursts (LGRBs) and hydrogen-poor super-luminous supernovae (SLSNe-I). Models for typical (~minute long) LGRBs invoke…
Magnetars are a kind of pulsars powered mainly by superhigh magnetic fields. They are popular sources with many unsolved issues in themselves, but also linked to various high energy phenomena, such as QPOs, giant flares, fast radio bursts…
Soft gamma-ray repeaters and anomalous X-ray pulsars are a small (but growing) group of X-ray sources characterized by the emission of short bursts and by a large variability in their persistent flux. They are believed to be magnetars, i.e.…
Several recent papers conclude that radio-pulsar magnetic fields decay on a time-scale of 10 Myr, apparently contradicting earlier results. We have implemented the methods of these papers in our code and show that this preference for rapid…
As is well known, pulsars are extremely stable rotators. However, although slowly, they spin down thanks to brake mechanisms, which are in fact still subject of intense investigation in the literature. Since pulsars are usually modelled as…