Quantum Vacuum Friction in Highly Magnetized Neutron Stars

Abstract

In this letter we calculate the energy loss of highly magnetized neutron star due to friction with quantum vacuum, namely Quantum Vacuum Friction (QVF). Taking into account one-loop corrections in the effective Heisenberg-Euler Lagrangian of the light-light interaction, we derive an analytic expression for QVF allowing us to consider magnetic field at the surface of the star as high as $10^{11}$T. In the case of magnetars with high magnetic field above the QED critical field, we show that the energy loss by QVF dominates the energy loss process. This has important consequences, in particular on the inferred value of the magnetic field. This also indicates the need for independent measurements of magnetic field, energy loss rate, and of the braking index to fully characterize magnetars.

To be published in EPL

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Cited by in corpus (10)

• Magnetic and electric properties of quantum vacuum
• The Dipole Magnetic Field and Spin-down Evolutions of The High Braking Index Pulsar PSR J1640-4631
• Pressure of Degenerate and Relativistic electrons in a superhigh magnetic field
• Gravitational wave emission by the high braking index pulsar PSR J1640-4631
• Could the low braking index pulsar PSR J1734-3333 evolve into a magnetar?
• The influence of quantum vacuum friction on pulsars
• One-way propagation of light in Born-Infeld-like metamaterials
• A short review of the pulsar magnetic inclination angles (II)
• Spindown of magnetars: Quantum Vacuum Friction?
• QED effects are negligible for neutron-star spin-down