Matter in superstrong magnetic fields and the structure of a neutron star's surface
Abstract
The properties of matter in strong and superstrong magnetic fields (B in the range of 5 x 10 to the 11th power to 10 to the 13th power Gauss) are reconsidered. By slightly improving and correcting previous calculations it is shown that molecular chains are only slightly bound with respect to free atoms. For B = 10 to the 12th power Gauss the cohesive energy is 0.07 keV and 0.19 keV for iron and carbon respectively. Only at extremely high magnetic fields (B greater than or equal to 5 x 10 to the 14th power Gauss), which are probably not present in pulsars, strong binding is obtained (greater than 10 keV).
- Publication:
-
NASA STI/Recon Technical Report N
- Pub Date:
- August 1975
- Bibcode:
- 1975STIN...7625119H
- Keywords:
-
- Magnetic Fields;
- Matter (Physics);
- Neutron Stars;
- Carbon;
- Cohesion;
- Iron;
- Molecular Chains;
- Planetary Surfaces;
- Pulsars;
- Astrophysics