event
Thursday 11 Sep 2014: Hall effect in Neutron Star Crusts (Taylor and Francis sponsored)
Konstantinos Gourgouliatos - McGill University
H 170 15:00-16:00
Neutron stars are known to host very strong magnetic fields which are anchored on their solid, highly-conducting crusts. The evolution of the magnetic field in the crust of neutron stars is the result the Hall effect and Ohmic dissipation. I will discuss the evolution of neutron stars magnetic fields presenting the results of new simulations. While the early evolution is sensitive to the initial conditions, the end point is in general independent of them. In particular after a few million years of evolution the magnetic field is approaching a state of isorotation, the "Hall attractor" which is an analogue of Ferraro's from solar physics to electron-MHD. This result resolves the question of the presence of strong magnetic field in middle-aged neutron stars whose magnetic has been suggested to undergo turbulent cascade. Astrophysical applications will also be discussed related to neutron star rotational evolution and magnetar activity.
