A new model of a magnetar

A new model is put forward to explain the observed features of anomalous X-ray pulsars (AXPs) and soft gamma-ray repeaters (SGRs). It is shown that drift waves can be excited in the magnetosphere of a neutron star with a rotational period of P～0.1 s, surface magnetic field B_s～10¹² G, and angle between the rotational axis and magnetic moment β<10°. These waves lead to the formation of radiation pulses with a period of P_dr～10 s. The rate of loss of rotational energy by such a star (～10³⁷ erg/s) is sufficient to produce the observed increase in the period \((\dot P \sim 10^{ - 10} )\), the X-ray luminosities of AXPs and SGRs (～10³⁴–10³⁶ erg/s), and an injection of relativistic particles into the surrounding supernova remnant. A modulation of the constant component of the radiation with a period of P～0.1 s is predicted. In order for SGRs to produce gamma-ray bursts, an additional source of energy must be invoked. Radio pulsars with periods of P_obs>5 s can be described by the proposed model; in this case, their rotational periods are considerably less than P_obs and the observed pulses are due to the drift waves.