Electrodynamics of binary neutron star mergers

Journal Article · 05 December 2018 · Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/mnras/sty3303 · OSTI ID:1612507

Lyutikov, Maxim ^[1]

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1. Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States); DOE/OSTI

We consider electromagnetic interaction and precursor emission of merging neutron stars. Orbital motion of the magnetized neutron star may revive pair production within the common magnetosphere years before the merger, igniting pulsar-like magnetospheric dynamics. We identify two basic scenarios: (i) only one star is magnetized (1M-DNS scenario) and (ii) both stars are magnetized (2M-DNS scenario). Inductively created electric fields can have component along the total magnetic field (gaps) and/or the electric field may exceed the value of the local magnetic field. The key to the detection is orbital modulation of the emission. If only one star is magnetized (1M-DNS scenario) the emission is likely to be produced along the direction of the magnetic field at the location of the secondary; then, if the magnetic axis is misaligned with the orbital spin, this direction is modulated on the orbital period. For the 2M-DNS scenario, the structure of the common magnetosphere of the non-rotating neutron stars is complicated, with gaps, but no E > B regions; there is strong orbital variations for the case of misaligned magnetic moments. For the same parameters of neutron stars the 2M-DNS scenario has intrinsically higher potential than the 1M-DNS one. The overall powers are not very high, ≤10⁴⁵ erg s^-1; the best chance to detect electromagnetic precursors to the merging neutron stars is if the interaction of their magnetospheres leads to the production of pulsar-like coherent radio emission modulated at the orbital period, with luminosity of up to ~1 Jankys at the time of the merger.

• Research Organization: Purdue Univ., West Lafayette, IN (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: NASA; NSF; USDOE Office of Science (SC)
• Grant/Contract Number: SC0016369
• OSTI ID: 1612507
• Journal Information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Journal Name: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 483; ISSN 0035-8711
• Publisher: Royal Astronomical SocietyCopyright Statement
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English