PRODUCING MAGNETAR MAGNETIC FIELDS IN THE MERGER OF BINARY NEUTRON STARS

Bruno Giacomazzo, Jonathan Zrake, Paul C. Duffell, Andrew I. Macfadyen, Rosalba Perna

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

    Abstract

    The merger of binary neutron stars (BNSs) can lead to large amplifications of the magnetic field due to the development of turbulence and instabilities in the fluid, such as the Kelvin'Helmholtz shear instability, which drive small-scale dynamo activity. In order to properly resolve such instabilities and obtain the correct magnetic field amplification, one would need to employ resolutions that are currently unfeasible in global general relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations of BNS mergers. Here, we present a subgrid model that allows global simulations to take into account the small-scale amplification of the magnetic field which is caused by the development of turbulence during BNS mergers. Assuming dynamo saturation, we show that magnetar-level fields (∼1016 G) can be easily reached, and should therefore be expected from the merger of magnetized BNSs. The total magnetic energy can reach values up to ∼1051 erg and the post-merger remnant can therefore emit strong electromagnetic signals and possibly produce short gamma-ray bursts.

    Original languageEnglish (US)
    Article number39
    JournalAstrophysical Journal
    Volume809
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Aug 10 2015

    Fingerprint

    magnetars
    binary stars
    merger
    neutron stars
    magnetic field
    amplification
    magnetic fields
    turbulence
    magnetohydrodynamic simulation
    gamma ray bursts
    magnetohydrodynamics
    erg
    simulation
    electromagnetism
    shear
    saturation
    fluids
    fluid
    energy

    Keywords

    • gamma-ray burst: general
    • magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)
    • methods: numerical
    • stars: magnetars
    • stars: neutron

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Nuclear and High Energy Physics

    Cite this

    Giacomazzo, B., Zrake, J., Duffell, P. C., Macfadyen, A. I., & Perna, R. (2015). PRODUCING MAGNETAR MAGNETIC FIELDS IN THE MERGER OF BINARY NEUTRON STARS. Astrophysical Journal, 809(1), [39]. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/809/1/39

    PRODUCING MAGNETAR MAGNETIC FIELDS IN THE MERGER OF BINARY NEUTRON STARS. / Giacomazzo, Bruno; Zrake, Jonathan; Duffell, Paul C.; Macfadyen, Andrew I.; Perna, Rosalba.

    In: Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 809, No. 1, 39, 10.08.2015.

    Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

    Giacomazzo, B, Zrake, J, Duffell, PC, Macfadyen, AI & Perna, R 2015, 'PRODUCING MAGNETAR MAGNETIC FIELDS IN THE MERGER OF BINARY NEUTRON STARS', Astrophysical Journal, vol. 809, no. 1, 39. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/809/1/39
    Giacomazzo B, Zrake J, Duffell PC, Macfadyen AI, Perna R. PRODUCING MAGNETAR MAGNETIC FIELDS IN THE MERGER OF BINARY NEUTRON STARS. Astrophysical Journal. 2015 Aug 10;809(1). 39. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/809/1/39
    Giacomazzo, Bruno ; Zrake, Jonathan ; Duffell, Paul C. ; Macfadyen, Andrew I. ; Perna, Rosalba. / PRODUCING MAGNETAR MAGNETIC FIELDS IN THE MERGER OF BINARY NEUTRON STARS. In: Astrophysical Journal. 2015 ; Vol. 809, No. 1.
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