MG14 - Talk detail

Back to previous page

 Participant

Institution

Session

Accepted

Order

Time

Talk

Title

Abstract

The magnetic field strength at birth has long been considered a fundamental property in determining the evolutionary path of a neutron star (NS). Objects with very high fields, collectively known as magnetars, are characterized by high X-ray quiescent luminosities, outbursts, and, for some of them, sporadic giant flares. While the magnetic field strength is believed to drive their collective behaviour, however, the diversity of their properties, and the observation of magnetar-like bursts from 'low-field' pulsars, has been a theoretical puzzle. In this talk, I will discuss results of long-term MHD simulations which, by following the evolution of magnetic stresses within the NS crust, have allowed to relate the observed magnetar phenomenology to the physical properties of the NSs, and in particular to their age and magnetic field strength and topology. The dichotomy of 'high-B' field pulsars versus magnetars is naturally explained, and occasional outbursts from old, low B-field NSs are predicted. The coupled thermal and timing evolution predicted by the MHD simulations allows to account for the luminosity and period evolution of the bulk of the NS population, and to identify the magnetars descendants.

Pdf file

Back to previous page