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Three Dimensional Simulation of the Magnetic Stress in a Neutron Star Crust

T. S. Wood and R. Hollerbach
Phys. Rev. Lett. 114, 191101 – Published 12 May 2015
Physics logo See Synopsis: Quakes in Neutron Stars

Abstract

We present the first fully self-consistent three dimensional model of a neutron star’s magnetic field, generated by electric currents in the star’s crust via the Hall effect. We find that the global-scale field converges to a dipolar Hall-attractor state, as seen in recent axisymmetric models, but that small-scale features in the magnetic field survive even on much longer time scales. These small-scale features propagate toward the dipole equator, where the crustal electric currents organize themselves into a strong equatorial jet. By calculating the distribution of magnetic stresses in the crust, we predict that neutron stars with fields stronger than 1014G can still be subject to starquakes more than 105yr after their formation.

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  • Received 30 December 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.114.191101

© 2015 American Physical Society

Synopsis

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Quakes in Neutron Stars

Published 12 May 2015

Simulations of the magnetic field of a neutron star show that shear stresses induced by the field are strong enough to fracture the star’s crust.

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Authors & Affiliations

T. S. Wood*

  • School of Mathematics and Statistics, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom

R. Hollerbach

  • Department of Applied Mathematics, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom

  • *Toby.Wood@newcastle.ac.uk

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Issue

Vol. 114, Iss. 19 — 15 May 2015

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