Diamagnetic screening of the magnetic field in accreting neutron stars

Rai Choudhuri, Arnab ; Konar, Sushan (2002) Diamagnetic screening of the magnetic field in accreting neutron stars Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 332 (4). pp. 933-944. ISSN 0035-8711

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Official URL: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-...

Related URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-8711.2002.05362.x

Abstract

A possible mechanism for screening of the surface magnetic field of an accreting neutron star, by the accreted material, is investigated. We model the material flow in the surface layers of the star by an assumed two-dimensional velocity field satisfying all the physical requirements. Using this model velocity we find that, in the absence of magnetic buoyancy, the surface field is screened (i.e. there is submergence of the field by advection) within the time-scale of material flow of the top layers. On the other hand, if magnetic buoyancy is present, the screening happens over a time-scale that is characteristic of the slower flow of the deeper (and hence, denser) layers. For accreting neutron stars, this longer time-scale turns out to be about 105 yr, which is of a similar order of magnitude to the accretion time-scale of most massive X-ray binaries.

Item Type:Article
Source:Copyright of this article belongs to John Wiley and Sons.
Keywords:Magnetic Fields; Binaries: General; Stars: Neutron; Pulsars: General
ID Code:66551
Deposited On:24 Oct 2011 08:19
Last Modified:18 May 2016 14:03

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