Physical Society Colloquium

Neutron stars have long been inferred to have strong magnetic fields from their pulsed electromagnetic emissions and changing spin periods. But, in a dynamical sense, the dipolar magnetic fields of radio pulsars are quite weak. This talk will summarize and interpret the growing body of evidence for a population of neutron stars (not yet detected as pulsing radio sources) in which a decaying magnetic field is the dominant source of energy for radiative and particle emission. I will first discuss the dramatic bursts of hard X-rays that provided the original evidence for these objects, and the role of QED processes (such as photon splitting) in regulating the emergent X-ray spectrum. I will then touch on some of the unusual rotational, electrodynamic, superfluid and materials properties expected of neutron stars with approx 10¹⁵ G magnetic fields.

Friday, January 21st 2000, 15:30
Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, Keys Auditorium (room 112)