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Gravitational Radiation Instability in Hot Young Neutron Stars

Lee Lindblom, Benjamin J. Owen, and Sharon M. Morsink
Phys. Rev. Lett. 80, 4843 – Published 1 June 1998
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Abstract

We show that gravitational radiation drives an instability in hot young rapidly rotating neutron stars. This instability occurs primarily in the l=2 r-mode and will carry away most of the angular momentum of a rapidly rotating star by gravitational radiation. On the time scale needed to cool a young neutron star to about T=109K (about one year) this instability can reduce the rotation rate of a rapidly rotating star to about 0.076ΩK, where ΩK is the Keplerian angular velocity where mass shedding occurs. In older colder neutron stars this instability is suppressed by viscous effects, allowing older stars to be spun up by accretion to larger angular velocities.

  • Received 2 March 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.4843

©1998 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

Lee Lindblom and Benjamin J. Owen

  • Theoretical Astrophysics 130-33, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125

Sharon M. Morsink

  • Physics Department, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, P.O. Box 413, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53201

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See Also

Ocean Currents in a Neutron Star

Phys. Rev. Focus 1, 18 (1998)

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Issue

Vol. 80, Iss. 22 — 1 June 1998

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