The strongest cosmic magnets: soft gamma-ray repeaters and anomalous X-ray pulsars
Abstract:
Two classes of X-ray pulsars, the anomalous X-ray pulsars and the soft gamma-ray repeaters, have been recognized in the last decade as the most promising candidates for being magnetars: isolated neutron stars powered by magnetic energy. I review the observational properties of these objects, focussing on the most recent results, and their interpretation in the magnetar model. Alternative explanations, in particular those based on accretion from residual disks, are also considered. The possible relations between these sources and other classes of neutron stars and astrophysical objects are also discussed.read more
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Spin-down evolution and radio disappearance of the magnetar PSR J1622$-$4950
Paul Scholz,Paul Scholz,Fernando Camilo,John Sarkissian,John Reynolds,Lina Levin,Matthew Bailes,Matthew Bailes,M. Burgay,Simon Johnston,Michael Kramer,Michael Kramer,Andrea Possenti +12 more
TL;DR: In this article, the Parkes telescope was used for 24 years of radio timing measurements of the magnetar PSR J1622$-$4950 using Parkes Telescope, between 2011 November and 2014 March during which period the torque on the neutron star (inferred from the rotational frequency derivative) varied greatly.
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VLT optical observations of the isolated neutron star RX J0420.0-5022
TL;DR: Motch et al. as mentioned in this paper investigated the optical identification of the XDINS RX J0420.0-5022, tentatively proposed by Haberl et al (2004) based on VLT observations.
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Isolated neutron stars and studies of their interiors
TL;DR: In this paper, a wide view of neutron star astrophysics with special attention paid to young isolated compact objects and studies of the properties of the neutron star interiors using astronomical methods is presented.
Posted Content
Can SGRs/AXPs originate from neutron star binaries?
TL;DR: In this article, the authors proposed that soft gamma repeaters (SGRs) can originate from normal neutron stars (NSs) with extremely strong magnetic fields, the so-called magnetars.
Nonperturbative quantum field theory in astrophysics
TL;DR: In this article, the extreme electromagnetic or gravitational fields associated with some astrophysical objects can give rise to macroscopic effects arising from the physics of the quantum vacuum, and the authors explore this idea in three astrophysical scenarios.
References
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