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An X-ray pulsar with a superstrong magnetic field in the soft gamma-ray repeater SGR 1806-20

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-16, 16:55 authored by Kouveliotou, C, Dieters, S, Strohmayer, T, van Paradijs, J, Fishman, GJ, Meegan, CA, Hurley, K, Kommers, J, Smith, I, Murakami, T
Soft γ-ray repeaters (SGRs) emit multiple, brief (~0.1-s), intense outburst of low-energy γ-rays. They are extremely rare -three are known our Galaxy and one in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Two SGRs are associated with young supernova remnants (SNRs), and therefore most probably with neutron stars, but it remains a puzzle why SGRs are so different from 'normal' radio pulsars. Here we report the discovery of pulsations in the persistent X-ray flux of SGR1806 - 20, with a period of 7.47 s and a spindown rate of 2.6 x 10-3 s yr-1. We argue that the spindown is due to magnetic dipole emission and find that the pulsar age and (dipolar) magnetic field strength are ~1,500 years and 8 x 1014 gauss, respectively. Our observations demonstrate the existence of 'magnetars', neutron stars with magnetic fields about 100 times stronger than those of radio pulsars, and support earlier suggestions that SGR bursts are caused by neutron-star 'crust-quakes' produced by magnetic stresses. The 'magnetar' birth rate is about one per millennium - a substantial fraction of that of radio pulsars. Thus our results may explain why some SNRs have no radio pulsars.

History

Publication title

Nature

Volume

393

Issue

6682

Pagination

235-237

ISSN

0028-0836

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

Nature Publishing Group

Place of publication

London, England

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Expanding knowledge in the physical sciences

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