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Open AccessJournal ArticleDOI

The strongest cosmic magnets: soft gamma-ray repeaters and anomalous X-ray pulsars

Sandro Mereghetti
- 08 Jul 2008 - 
- Vol. 15, Iss: 4, pp 225-287
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.

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Citations
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The mcgill magnetar catalog

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a catalog of the 26 currently known magnetars and magnetar candidates, and investigate and plot possible correlations between their timing, X-ray, and multiwavelength properties.
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Bright Supernovae from Magnetar Birth

TL;DR: In this paper, a rotating magnetar radiating according to the classic dipole formula could power a very luminous supernova and the peak luminosity would be most sensitive to the dipole field strength of the magnetar.
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The Astrophysics of Ultrahigh-Energy Cosmic Rays

TL;DR: In this paper, the main effects of propagation from cosmologically distant sources, including interactions with cosmic background radiation and magnetic fields, are discussed, leading to a survey of candidate sources and their signatures.
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The McGill Magnetar Catalog

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present a catalog of the 26 currently known magnetars and magnetar candidates, and investigate and plot possible correlations between their timing, X-ray, and multiwavelength properties.
Journal ArticleDOI

Unifying the observational diversity of isolated neutron stars via magneto-thermal evolution models.

TL;DR: In this article, the authors present the results of 2D simulations of the fully-coupled evolution of temperature and magnetic field in neutron stars, including the state-of-the-art kinetic coefficients and, for the first time, the important effect of the Hall term.
References
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The Anomalous X-ray Pulsar 4U 0142+61: Variability in the infrared and a spectral break in the optical

TL;DR: In this article, the authors present new optical and infrared observations of the counterpart to the anomalous X-ray Pulsar (AXP) 4U 0142+61 taken with the Keck I telescope.
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TL;DR: In this article, the anomalous X-ray pulsar 1RXS J170849.0-400910 was detected with the RXTE Proportional Counter Array.
Journal ArticleDOI

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TL;DR: In this article, the rotational, magnetic, and thermal evolution of an ultra-magnetized neutron star, or magnetar, with available data on the anomalous X-ray Pulsars (AXPs) was studied.
Journal ArticleDOI

Pulse phase variations of the X-ray spectral features in the radio-quiet neutron star 1E 1207-5209

TL;DR: In this paper, the authors present the results of an XMM-Newton observation of the radio-quiet X-ray pulsar 1E 1207� 5209 located at the center of the shell-like supernova remnant G296.
Journal ArticleDOI

The Connection between W31, SGR 1806-20, & LBV 1806-20: Distance, Extinction, and Structure

TL;DR: In this paper, the radio nebula G10.3, which is powered by the wind of the Luminous Blue Variable star LBV 1806-20, was found to be located in the giant Galactic HII complex W31.
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