QED can explain the non-thermal emission from SGRs and AXPs : Variability
arXiv:astro-ph/0608565 · doi:10.1007/s10509-007-9325-y
Abstract
Owing to effects arising from quantum electrodynamics (QED), magnetohydrodynamical fast modes of sufficient strength will break down to form electron-positron pairs while traversing the magnetospheres of strongly magnetised neutron stars. The bulk of the energy of the fast mode fuels the development of an electron-positron fireball. However, a small, but potentially observable, fraction of the energy ( ergs) can generate a non-thermal distribution of electrons and positrons far from the star. This paper examines the cooling and radiative output of these particles. Small-scale waves may produce only the non-thermal emission. The properties of this non-thermal emission in the absence of a fireball match those of the quiescent, non-thermal radiation recently observed non-thermal emission from several anomalous X-ray pulsars and soft-gamma repeaters. Initial estimates of the emission as a function of angle indicate that the non-thermal emission should be beamed and therefore one would expect this emission to be pulsed as well. According to this model the pulsation of the non-thermal emission should be between 90 and 180 degrees out of phase from the thermal emission from the stellar surface.
7 pages, 5 figures, to appear in the proceedings of the conference "Isolated Neutron Stars: from the Interior to the Surface" (April 2006, London), eds. D. Page, R. Turolla, & S. Zane, Astrophysics & Space Science
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Cited by in corpus (6)
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- QED Plasma and Magnetars
- Plasma Waves and Jets from Moving Conductors