The X-ray Polarization Signature of Quiescent Magnetars
Rodrigo Fernandez
IAS
The properties of Anomalous X-ray Pulsars and Soft-Gamma Repeaters
have so far been best accounted for by the magnetar model, which
hypothesizes them as strongly magnetized neutron stars. Despite this
success, many open issues remain, among them a theoretical understanding
of the magnetospheric physics. The polarization of soft X-ray photons
encodes independent information about these systems, and the magnetar
model makes very definite predictions about the form of this signal if
certain conditions in the magnetosphere are met. I'll describe how the
polarization signal is generated and discuss prospects for its detection
with NASA's upcoming Gravity and Extreme Magnetism (GEMS) mission.
Date: | Tuesday, 4 October 2011 |
Time: | 16:00 |
Where: | McGill University |
| Ernest Rutherford Physics Building, R.E. Bell Conference Room (room 103) |
Contact: | Robert Rutledge |
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