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Correction … (I found the paper) ..
The issue is the low surface dipolar magnetic field, B < 3 × 10∧13 Gauss (quite low - in the range of only a radio pulsar class).
In order for this object to emit bursts with such a low surface field, it is hypothesised that the magnetar activity is driven by the magnetic energy stored in the internal toroidal field. This component cannot be measured directly.
This large internal field could stress the crust and ultimately deforms/cracks the star surface layers, periodically allowing magnetic helicity to be transferred to the external field, thus causing the (repeated) short x-ray bursts, (period ∼9.1 s, slow pulsations with a variable pulse profile), and the overall magnetar-like activity.
Interesting ..
Cheers
Last edited by CraigS; 15-10-2010 at 02:30 PM.
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