Attempts toward Understanding the Formation of Magnetars
Abstract
Today, "Anomalous X-ray Pulsars" (AXPs) and "Soft Gamma Repeaters" (SGRs) are generally understood as magnetars, which are neutron stars with unusually high magnetic fields. Many active researches of magnetars are being performed by Suzaku, including the "AO4 Key project on Magnetars". One of the most interesting topics of magnetars is their formation. Although neutron stars, including magnetars, are believed to be a result of supernovae (SNe), it is not yet clear what kind of SNe produce magnetars. In an attempt to obtain clues to this problem, we analyzed archival Suzaku data of the SNR, CTB109, which is associated with the magnetar1E 2254+586. So far, we have not found marked differences between CTB109 and other typical SNRs. As another attempt, we suggest that X-ray flashes, being detected with MAXI with a higher rate than expected, could be associated with the formation of magnetars (e.g., Metzger et al. 2008). Then, MAXI data may be utilized to obtain new information on the magnetar formation.
- Publication:
-
The First Year of MAXI: Monitoring Variable X-ray Sources
- Pub Date:
- December 2010
- Bibcode:
- 2010fym..confP..30N