Instability-driven evolution of poloidal magnetic fields in relativistic stars

Ciolfi, Riccardo, Lander, Samuel K., Manca, Gian Mario and Rezzolla, Luciano (2011) Instability-driven evolution of poloidal magnetic fields in relativistic stars. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 736 (1). ISSN 2041-8205

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Abstract

The problem of the stability of magnetic fields in stars has a long history and has been investigated in detail in perturbation theory. Here, we consider the nonlinear evolution of a nonrotating neutron star with a purely poloidal magnetic field, in general relativity. We find that an instability develops in the region of the closed magnetic field lines and over an Alfvén timescale, as predicted by perturbation theory. After the initial unstable growth, our evolutions show that a toroidal magnetic field component is generated, which increases until it is locally comparable in strength with the poloidal one. On longer timescales the system relaxes to a new non-axisymmetric configuration with a reorganization of the stellar structure and large-amplitude oscillations, mostly in the fundamental mode. We discuss the energies involved in the instability and the impact they may have on the phenomenology of magnetar flares and on their detectability through gravitational-wave emission.

Item Type: Article
Uncontrolled Keywords: gravitational waves,magnetohydrodynamics (mhd),methods: numerical,stars: neutron,astronomy and astrophysics,space and planetary science ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/3100/3103
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Mathematics
Faculty of Science > School of Physics
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 28 Jan 2020 03:53
Last Modified: 22 Oct 2022 05:45
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/73816
DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/736/1/L6

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