Abstract
It is commonly believed that neutron stars exceeding the maximum mass limit for stability could be formed in the aftermath of binary neutron star mergers, enjoying a short life of metastability before losing centrifugal support and collapsing to a black hole. It is suggested here that a similar scenario could take place when the remnant’s excess mass is supported by an ultrastrong () magnetic field that could be generated during, and shortly after, coalescence. We show that such “magnetically supramassive” neutron stars could stave off collapse and survive for a few years before their magnetic energy is sufficiently dissipated due to ambipolar diffusion. In addition, we speculate on multimessenger signatures of such objects and discuss the robustness of our results against limitations placed by neutron superfluidity and magnetothermal evolution.
- Received 30 June 2021
- Revised 11 October 2021
- Accepted 22 February 2022
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevD.105.L061302
© 2022 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
synopsis
A New Type of Neutron Star
Published 23 March 2022
The merging of two neutron stars could give birth to a third, more extreme variety that is stabilized by an incredibly strong magnetic field.
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