MAGNETIC DOMAINS IN MAGNETAR MATTER AS AN ENGINE FOR SOFT GAMMA-RAY REPEATERS AND ANOMALOUS X-RAY PULSARS

Journal Article · Sat Jul 10 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Astrophysical Journal

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/717/2/843· OSTI ID:21455214

Suh, In-Saeng ^[1]

---

1. Center for Research Computing, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (United States)

Magnetars have been suggested as the most promising site for the origin of observed soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs) and anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs). In this work, we investigate the possibility that SGRs and AXPs might be observational evidence for a magnetic phase separation in magnetars. We study magnetic domain formation as a new mechanism for SGRs and AXPs in which magnetar matter separates into phases containing different flux densities. We identify the parameter space in matter density and magnetic field strength at which there is an instability for magnetic domain formation. We conclude that such instabilities will likely occur in the deep outer crust for the magnetic Baym, Pethick, and Sutherland model and in the inner crust and core for magnetars described in the relativistic Hartree theory. Moreover, we estimate that the energy released by the onset of this instability is comparable with the energy emitted by SGRs.

• OSTI ID: 21455214
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 717; ISSN ASJOAB; ISSN 0004-637X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
COSMIC RADIO SOURCES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY RANGE
FLUX DENSITY
GAMMA RADIATION
INSTABILITY
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PULSARS
RADIATIONS
RELATIVISTIC RANGE
STARS
X RADIATION