Magnetospheric structure and non-thermal emission of axps and sgrs
Nov, 2001Citations per year
Abstract: (arXiv)
In the framework of the magnetar model for the Soft Gamma Repeaters and Anomalous X-ray Pulsars, we consider the structure of neutron star magnetospheres threaded by large-scale electrical currents. We construct self-similar, force-free equilibria under the assumption of axisymmetry and a power law dependence of magnetic field on radius, . A large-scale twist of the field lines softens the radial dependence to , thereby accelerating the spindown torque with respect to a vacuum dipole. A magnetosphere with a strong twist ( at the equator) has an optical depth to resonant cyclotron scattering, independent of frequency (radius), surface magnetic field strength, or the charge/mass ratio of the scattering charge. We investigate the effects of the resonant Compton scattering by the charge carriers (both electrons and ions) on the emergent X-ray spectra and pulse profiles.References(4)
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