On the neutronization radius of magnetic neutron stars: The field and temperature dependences of the chemical potential and minimum number density of a degenerate magnetized electron gas
- Moscow State Industrial University (Russian Federation)
The temperature and field dependences of the chemical potential and the field dependence of the Fermi energy for a degenerate relativistic electron gas in a magnetic field have been analyzed by numerical and analytical methods. An analytical expression has been derived for the dependence of the minimum electron number density and the corresponding neutronization radius on the magnetic field strength in a collapsing star upon its subsequent transformation into a neutron one. We believe that a similar relation also holds for the equilibrium neutron star radius. Our results refine the conclusions reached previously [1] in the case of a nonzero temperature and the influence of the star's proton component on the neutronization process as well as confirm and generalize them in terms of a significant (by an order of magnitude or severalfold) decrease in the equilibrium radius of a neutron star in a superstrong (10{sup 14}-10{sup 17} G) magnetic field compared to the case where there is no such field. We point out that there may exist a separate class of stellar objects-very small magnetar neutron stars that we propose to name 'minimagnetars'. We hypothesize that they can be the final evolutionary stage of stars before their collapse into a black hole.
- OSTI ID:
- 22069409
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Experimental and Theoretical Physics, Vol. 115, Issue 1; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2012 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1063-7761
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Characteristics of a Degenerate Neutron Gas in a Magnetic Field with Allowance for the Anomalous Magnetic Moment of the Neutron
Accreting neutron stars, black holes, and degenerate dwarf stars