Magnetar

A neutron star with an exceptionally powerful magnetic field. Magnetic-field decay and crustal stresses can power intense X-ray and gamma-ray bursts.

Neutron star: A compact stellar remnant composed mostly of densely packed neutrons, formed when a massive star’s core collapses. Magnetars are neutron stars distinguished by their unusually strong magnetic fields.
Core-collapse supernova: The explosive collapse of a massive star’s core, which can leave behind a neutron star or black hole. A magnetar is born in the aftermath of a stellar core-collapse explosion.
Robert Duncan: An American astrophysicist known for developing the magnetar model with Christopher Thompson. His theoretical work helped establish magnetic-field decay as a source of magnetar activity.
Anomalous X-ray pulsar: A slowly rotating X-ray pulsar whose emission exceeds the energy available from its rotational slowdown. This class of sources is identified with magnetars powered by magnetic energy.
Magnetar magnetic-field origin: The physical processes that create the exceptionally strong magnetic fields observed in magnetars. Dynamo amplification and inherited stellar fields may contribute in different proportions.
Magnetar giant flare: A brief, exceptionally luminous burst of hard X-rays and gamma rays from a magnetar. A sudden rearrangement of the magnetic field can produce this extreme outburst.
Neutron degeneracy pressure: Quantum pressure arising from the Pauli exclusion principle that helps support dense matter against gravitational collapse. It contributes to the support of the neutron-star remnant that becomes a magnetar.
Christopher Thompson: A Canadian astrophysicist who co-developed the magnetar model with Robert Duncan. Their model linked soft gamma repeaters to neutron stars powered by immense magnetic fields.
Fast radio burst: A brief, bright burst of radio waves originating beyond the Milky Way, typically lasting milliseconds. A Galactic magnetar produced a radio burst resembling fast radio bursts, linking the phenomena.
Neutron-star equation of state: A relation describing how pressure, density, and temperature behave in neutron-star matter. Magnetar observations can constrain the properties of matter at densities beyond terrestrial experiments.

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