Pulsars are Born as Magnetars

TL;DR

This paper proposes that all neutron stars are born as magnetars with extremely strong magnetic fields that decay rapidly, imparting high velocities to the stars during their birth, driven by magnetic instabilities.

Contribution

It introduces a model where ultrafast magnetic field decay at birth explains neutron star velocities and magnetar origins, a novel perspective on neutron star evolution.

Findings

Neutron stars experience magnetic field decay within 10^(-4) seconds.

The initial magnetic fields are in the range of 10^(14)-10^(16) G.

Magnetic decay imparts high velocities to neutron stars.

Abstract

This paper suggests the idea that all neutron stars experienced at birth an ultrafast decay of their magnetic fields from their initial values to their current surface values. If the electromagnetic energy radiated during this field decay is converted into kinetic energy of the neutron star via the radiation reaction mechanism then the decay time is of the order of 10^(-4)s provided that the initial magnetic fields lie in the range of 10^(14)-10^(16)G. This means that all neutron stars are born with magnetic fields typical of magnetars. According to this model the neutron stars acquire their observed high space velocities during the birth ultrafast decay of their magnetic fields. The origin of this field decay points to magnetic instabilities occurring at the end of the birth process.