Hydromagnetic Instabilities in Neutron Stars

Abstract

We model the non-linear ideal magnetohydrodynamics of poloidal magnetic fields in neutron stars in general relativity assuming a polytropic equation of state. We identify familiar hydromagnetic modes, in particular the 'sausage/varicose' mode and 'kink' instability inherent to poloidal magnetic fields. The evolution is dominated by the kink instability, which causes a cataclysmic reconfiguration of the magnetic field. The system subsequently evolves to new, non-axisymmetric, quasi-equilibrium end-states. The existence of this branch of stable quasi-equilibria may have consequences for magnetar physics, including flare generation mechanisms and interpretations of quasi-periodic oscillations.

Accepted for publication in ApJL. Movies of the simulations can be seen at http://www.tat.physik.uni-tuebingen.de/~tat/grmhd/

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