Magnetic Field Decay in Isolated Neutron Stars
Abstract
Three mechanisms that promote the loss of magnetic flux from an isolated neutron star - Ohmic decay, ambipolar diffusion, and Hall drift - are investigated. Equations of motions are solved for charged particles in the presence of a magnetic field and a fixed background of neutrons, while allowing for the creation and destruction of particles by weak interactions. Although these equations apply to normal neutrons and protons, the present interpretations of their solutions are extended to cover cases of neutron superfluidity and proton superconductivity. The equations are manipulated to prove that, in the presence of a magnetic force, the charged particles cannot be simultaneously in magnetostatic equilibrium and chemical equilibrium with the neutrons. The application of the results to real neutron stars is discussed.
- Publication:
-
The Astrophysical Journal
- Pub Date:
- August 1992
- DOI:
- 10.1086/171646
- Bibcode:
- 1992ApJ...395..250G
- Keywords:
-
- Charged Particles;
- Magnetic Flux;
- Magnetic Stars;
- Neutron Stars;
- Stellar Magnetic Fields;
- Decay;
- Early Stars;
- Pulsars;
- X Ray Binaries;
- Astrophysics;
- STARS: MAGNETIC FIELDS;
- STARS: NEUTRON