October 25, 2004
After some post-natal cooling, a spinning, magnetized, canonical neutron-star (NS) has a core of superconducting protons, superfluid neutrons, and degenerate extreme relativistic electrons, all surrounded by a thin highly conducting solid crust. The quantum fluids are threaded by a dense array of quantized vortex-lines which can interact strongly with a denser and much less uniform one of quantizedmagnetic flux-tubes. The physics of such a core predicts the evolution of a NS'ssurface magnetic field and related phenomena as the star's spin changes. Predictions include changes in NS magnetic dipole moments, anomolously small polar caps in millesecond pulsars, properties of two different families of spin-period "glitches", and spin-down ages much greater than true ages for some pulsars. Quantitative model-based estimates for all of these are given. None are in conflict with observations.
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October 12, 2006
In the core of a canonical spinning magnetized neutron star(NS) a nearly uniform superfluid neutron vortex-array interacts strongly with a twisted array of magnetic flux-tubes threading the core's superconducting protons. One consequence is that changes in NS-spin alter both arrays and also the magnetic field distribution on the surface of the surrounding crust. Among predicted consequences for very young spinning-down NSs are "spin-down indices" increasing from 2 to 3, and a...
October 20, 2005
Because of the quantum fluid properties of a neutron star core's neutrons and protons, its magnetic field is expected to be coupled strongly to its spin. This predicts a simple evolution of the surface-field of such stars as they spin down or, less commonly, are spun up. Consequences and comparisons with observations are given for properties of solitary spinning down pulsars, including their glitches and spin-down ages, X-ray pulsars, and the formation and pulse characteristi...
March 1, 2001
Observations indicate that magnetic fields on neutron stars span at least the range $10^{8-15}$ G, corresponding to a range of magnetic fluxes similar to that found in white dwarfs and main sequence stars. The observational evidence is discussed, as well as the possible origin of the field, and the associated phenomenology (``classical'', millisecond, and binary pulsars, ``magnetars'', etc.). Particular attention is given to physical processes potentially leading to magnetic ...
September 2, 1997
Spinning superfluid neutrons in the core of a neutron star interact strongly with co-existing superconducting protons. One consequence is that the outward(inward) motion of core superfluid neutron vortices during spin-down(up) of a neutron star may alter the core's magnetic field. Such core field changes are expected to result in movements of the stellar crust and changes in the star's surface magnetic field which reflect those in the core below. Observed magnitudes and evolu...
September 21, 2017
This article briefly reviews our current understanding of the evolution of magnetic fields in neutron stars, which basically defines the evolutionary pathways between different observational classes of neutron stars. The emphasis here is on the evolution in binary systems and the newly emergent classes of millisecond pulsars.
October 15, 2007
Neutron stars contain persistent, ordered magnetic fields that are the strongest known in the Universe. However, their magnetic fluxes are similar to those in magnetic A and B stars and white dwarfs, suggesting that flux conservation during gravitational collapse may play an important role in establishing the field, although it might also be modified substantially by early convection, differential rotation, and magnetic instabilities. The equilibrium field configuration, esta...
February 6, 2013
This paper suggests the idea that all neutron stars experienced at birth an ultrafast decay of their magnetic fields from their initial values to their current surface values. If the electromagnetic energy radiated during this field decay is converted into kinetic energy of the neutron star via the radiation reaction mechanism then the decay time is of the order of 10^(-4)s provided that the initial magnetic fields lie in the range of 10^(14)-10^(16)G. This means that all neu...
September 26, 2017
In this work we explore the evolution of magnetic fields inside strongly magnetized neutron stars in axisymmetry. We model numerically the coupled field evolution in the core and the crust. Our code models the Hall drift and Ohmic effects in the crust, the back-reaction on the field from magnetically-induced elastic deformation of the crust, the magnetic twist exchange between the crust and the core, and the drift of superconducting flux tubes inside the core. The correct hyd...
April 27, 2011
This paper suggests the idea that all neutron stars experienced at birth an ultrafast decay of their magnetic fields from their initial values to their current surface values. If the electromagnetic energy radiated during this field decay is converted into kinetic and rotational energies of the neutron star then the decay time is of the order of 10^(-4) s provided that the initial magnetic fields lie in the range of 10^(15)-10^(16) G and the initial periods in the range 1-20 ...
July 8, 2003
This paper intends to give a broad overview of the present knowledge about neutron star magnetic fields, their origin and evolution. An up-to-date overview of the rich phenomenology (encompassing ``classical'' and millisecond radio pulsars, X-ray binaries, ``magnetars'', and ``thermal emitters'') suggests that magnetic fields on neutron stars span at least the range $10^{8-15}$ G, corresponding to a range of magnetic fluxes similar to that found in white dwarfs and upper main...