Unveiling the Mysteries of Neutron Stars: A Journey into Extreme Magnetic Fields

We are excited to share with you some fascinating insights from our faculty research on neutron stars, particularly on one of the most intriguing aspects of these stars – their incredibly high magnetic fields.

Neutron stars, remnants of massive stars after a supernova explosion, are among the most dense objects in the universe. A sugar-cube-sized amount of neutron-star material would weigh about as much as a mountain! But it’s not just their density that’s extreme. Neutron stars also possess the strongest magnetic fields known in the universe, billions to trillions of times stronger than the Earth’s.

To put this into perspective, the magnetic field of a neutron star may be as high as **100 thousand million Tesla**. By comparison, Earth’s magnetic field is about five parts over 100,000 of a Tesla. This means that the magnetic field of a neutron star is about **10^8 to 10^15 times stronger** than the Earth’s magnetic field.

Our faculty research delves into the effects of these extreme magnetic fields. Their research explores how these fields influence many properties of the neutron star, such as its temperature, lifespan, and the way it emits light. For instance, the magnetic field can confine the heat to the star’s magnetic poles, making them much hotter than the rest of the star. This results in two hot spots that produce beams of light, similar to a lighthouse.

Moreover, the strong magnetic field can accelerate particles to near the speed of light, leading to the emission of intense X-rays and gamma rays. These emissions can be detected by our telescopes, providing us with valuable information about the neutron star.

Observing these celestial bodies is no easy task, however. Observational data that is used to test the theoretical models proposed, are obtained by the employment of different types of techniques, including radio and X-ray astronomy. Radio telescopes detect the radio waves emitted by the neutron star, while X-ray telescopes capture the high-energy X-ray emissions. By analyzing these signals, we can infer a wealth of information about the star’s properties, including its size, mass, magnetic field strength, and rotation period.

Understanding these extreme properties of neutron stars not only helps us learn more about these fascinating objects but also sheds light on the fundamental laws of physics under extreme conditions. Our research is a step forward in this exciting journey of discovery.

Below we share an exciting image of a high precision simulation of the magnetic field potential and magnetic field lines inside a neutron star. This simulation was made computationally by one of our faculty members.