Generation of the magnetic fields of pulsars

The influence of the effect of entrainment of superconducting protons by superfluid neutrons on the distribution of neutron vortices in a rotating neutron star is investigated. It is shown that the proton vortex clusters generated by entrainment currents create the magnetic structure of a neutron vortex. The average magnetic field induction in a neutron vortex is calculated. The presence of the magnetic field of a neutron vortex considerably alters the radius of the vortex zone. The width of the vortex-free zone at the surface of the neutron star’s core increases, reaching macroscopic values on the order of several meters. This result considerably changes earlier concepts of the distribution of neutron vortices in a neutron star. Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 43, No. 3, pp. 377-386, July–September, 2000.     

On the magnetic fields of ultraluminous X-ray pulsars

So far quite a few ultraluminous X-ray(ULX) pulsars have been discovered.In this work,we construct a super-Eddington,magnetic accretion disk model to estimate the dipole magnetic field of eight ULX pulsars based on their observed spin-up variations and luminosities.We obtain two branches of dipole magnetic field solutions.They are distributed in the range of B～(0.156-64.5) × 10~(10) G and～(0.275-79.0) × 10~(13) G corresponding to the low-and high-B solutions respectively.The low magnetic field solutions correspond to the state that the neutron stars are far away from the spin equilibrium,and the high magnetic field solutions are close to the spin equilibrium.The ultra-strong magnetic fields derived in Be-type ULX pulsars imply that the accretion mode in Be-type ULX pulsars could be more complicated than in the persistent ULX pulsars and may not be accounted for by the magnetized accretion disk model.We suggest that the transition between the accretor and the propeller regimes may be used to distinguish between the low-and high-B magnetic field solutions in addition to the detection of the cyclotron resonance scattering features.     

Propagation of γ-radiation in strong magnetic fields of pulsars

The propagation, decay and absorption of electromagnetic waves in magnetospheres of pulsars are considered with emphasis on the resonant effects in the vacuum polarization.     

Determination of the magnetic fields of Magellanic X-ray pulsars

The 80 high-mass X-ray binary(HMXB) pulsars that are known to reside in the Magellanic Clouds(MCs) have been observed by the XMM-Newton and Chandra X-ray telescopes on a regular basis for 15 years,and the XMM-Newton and Chandra archives contain nearly complete information about the duty cycles of the sources with spin periods P_S 100 s.We have reprocessed the archival data from both observatories and we combined the output products with all the published observations of 31 MC pulsars with P_S 100 s in an attempt to investigate the faintest X-ray emission states of these objects that occur when accretion to the polar caps proceeds at the smallest possible rates.These states determine the so-called propeller lines of the accreting pulsars and yield information about the magnitudes of their surface magnetic fields.We have found that the faintest states of the pulsars segregate into five discrete groups which obey to a high degree of accuracy the theoretical relation between spin period and X-ray luminosity.So the entire population of these pulsars can be described by just five propeller lines and the five corresponding magnetic moments(0.29,0.53,1.2,2.9 and 7.3,in units of 10~(30) G cm~3).     

The generation of magnetic fields in photospheric layers

Recent observations concerning the growth and decay of photospheric magnetic flux present a challenge to the conventional picture of the photosphere as a passive medium through which flux tubes emerge inertly. Rather, they suggest the possibility that interactions between the magnetic flux and the photospheric velocity fields may give rise to changes in the observed surface flux.In this paper the physics of flux changes are reviewed and the various terms in the hydromagnetic equation which give rise to the growth and decay of magnetic flux are examined. Several kinematic models for field changes are examined and it is shown that new flux loops may be generated by suitable oscillatory velocity fields near the boundaries of existing magnetic structures, thus increasing the gross flux through the photosphere. It is suggested that this mechanism may account for the appearance of moving magnetic features (knots of opposite polarities) at the boundaries of decaying sunspots.Other models are discussed and a tentative explanation of the apparently unbalanced growth of opposite polarities is given in terms of a current-sheet model.     

Turbulent generation of magnetic fields in astrophysical jets

We consider evolution of the regular magnetic field in turbulent astrophysical jets. The observed lateral expansion of a jet is approximately described by a linear in coordinates regular velocity field (the Hubble flow). It is shown that in expanding turbulent jets with non-vanishing mean helicity of the turbulence temporal amplification and effective realignment of the regular magnetic field occurs with the field changing orientation from the transverse to the longitudinal one along the jet axis. The distance at which the realiggment occurs depends on parameters of the jet, in particular, on the power of the central source. Estimates for the jet in a weak source 3C 31 favourably agree with observations.     

Effects of dynamo magnetic fields on observational properties of accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars

In this paper,we have investigated accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars,which are rapidly rotating neutron stars in low-mass X-ray binaries.These systems exhibit coherent X-ray pulsations that arise when the accretion flow is magnetically channeled to the stellar surface.Here,we have developed the fundamental equations for an accretion disk around accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars in the presence of a dynamo generated magnetic field in the inner part of the disk.We have also formulated the numerical method for the structure equations in the inner region of the disk and the highest accretion rate is enough to form the inner region of the disk,which is overpowered by radiation pressure and electron scattering.Finally,we have examined our results with the effects of dynamo magnetic fields on accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars.     

Toroidal magnetic field in pulsars

The differential rotation of plasma in the core of pulsars (Ω_s ≠ Ω_e) generates convective currents increasing with time which in turn generates the toroidal magnetic field. To avoid difficulties of physical interpretation inherent to the theory of general relativity we have adopted the tetrad approach to discuss the generation of the magnetic field in the core of the neutron stars. The results which we have obtained are in agreement with those obtained earlier. Published in Astrofizika, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 613–620 (August 2006).     

Thermal generation of magnetic fields with radiation pressure in rotating stars

It has been suggested by Biermann that in rotating stars the electron partial pressure could generate a toroidal magnetic field of a considerable strength. However, Mestel and Roxburgh have shown recently that the generation of such a toroidal magnetic field could almost completely be suppressed when a weak primodial poloidal magnetic field exists in the star. In this paper it is shown that a toroidal magnetic field of a moderate strength could be generated even in the presence of a primodial poloidal magnetic field, if the effect of radiation pressure is taken into consideration. This considered mechanism is effective for moderately massive stars, and numerical estimate indicates that in A type stars a toroidal magnetic field of the order of a thousand gauss can be generated near the surface within the time scale of the evolution of the star.Visiting Scientist to the High Altitude Observatory on leave of absence from the Department of Astronomy, University of Tokyo, Japan.     

The generation and dissipation of solar and galactic magnetic fields

Turbulent diffusion of magnetic field plays an essential role in the generation of magnetic field in most astrophysical bodies. This paper reviews what can be proved, and what can be believed, about the turbulent diffusion of magnetic field. Observations indicate the dissipation of magnetic field at rates that can be understood only in terms of turbulent diffusion. Theory shows that a largescale weak magnetic field diffuses in a turbulent flow in the same way that smoke is mixed throughout the fluid by the turbulence. The small-scale fields (produced from the large-scale field by the turbulence) are limited in their growth by reconnection of field lines at neutral points, so that the turbulent mixing of field and fluid is not halted by them.Altogether, it appears that the mixing of field and fluid in the observed turbulent motions in the Sun and in the Galaxy is unavoidable. Turbulent diffusion causes decay of the general solar fields in a decade or so, and of the galactic field in 10⁸–10⁹ yr. We conclude that continual dynamo action is implied by the observed existence of the fields.This work was supported in part by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under Grant NGL 14-001-001.     

On the creation of magnetic monopoles in pulsars

The production of pairs of magnetic monopoles-antimonopoles should be expected in the interactions of the high energy particles accelerated by pulsars. In the frame of the Sturrock model, the interactions of the very high energy protons emitted from the polar caps with the secondary electrons can be a source of magnetic monopoles. It may be the dominating process in very young pulsars such as the Crab pulsar. In the polar gap model of Ruderman and Sutherland, magnetic monopoles can be created by the electrons accelerated across the cap and interacting with the neutron star crust or by the negatons and positrons interacting head-on inside the sparks.Half of these monopoles are accelerated towards the interstellar medium by the pulsar magnetic field and the others are likely to be trapped inside the neutron star crust. This leads to a decrease in the pulsar magnetic field which would imply that the characteristic age may not give the true age of the pulsar This can be related to the discrepancy between and the real age of the Crab pulsar and the kinematical ages obtained from the measurement of the proper motion of some pulsars. Furthermore, the trapping of magnetic monopoles close under the surface of the neutron star perturbates the pulsar electrodynamics. To have such observable effects, it is shown that the cross-sections for the magnetic monopoles production can be several orders of magnitude smaller than the upper limits so far derived from cosmic rays or accelerator data.The possibility that the magnetic monopoles, accelerated outwards, are responsible for the highest energy extensive air showers, is considered.The production of an avalanche of secondary monopoles, due to acceleration by the magnetic field in the neutron star crust, is possible and the consequences of this process are considered.     

Cosmological magnetic fields: their generation,evolution and observation

We review the possible mechanisms for the generation of cosmological magnetic fields, discuss their evolution in an expanding Universe filled with the cosmic plasma and provide a critical review of the literature on the subject. We put special emphasis on the prospects for observational tests of the proposed cosmological magnetogenesis scenarios using radio and gamma-ray astronomy and ultra-high-energy cosmic rays. We argue that primordial magnetic fields are observationally testable. They lead to magnetic fields in the intergalactic medium with magnetic field strength and correlation length in a well defined range.We also state the unsolved questions in this fascinating open problem of cosmology and propose future observations to address them.     

Vortex–interface interactions and generation of glitches in pulsars

We show that the crust–core interface in neutron stars acts as a potential barrier to the peripheral neutron vortices approaching the interface in the model in which these are coupled to the proton vortex clusters. This elementary barrier arises because of the interaction of vortex magnetic flux with the Meissner currents set up by the crustal magnetic field at the interface. The dominant part of the force is derived from the cluster–interface interaction. As a result of the stopping of the continuous neutron vortex current through the interface, angular momentum is stored in the superfluid layers in the vicinity of the crust–core interface during the interglitch period. Discontinuous annihilation of proton vortices at the boundary restores the neutron vortex current and spins up the observable crust on short time-scales, leading to a glitch in the spin characteristics of a pulsar.