An Anti-Glitch in a Magnetar

TL;DR

This paper reports the first observation of an anti-glitch in a magnetar, a sudden spin-down event, challenging existing neutron star glitch models and suggesting differential rotation within the star.

Contribution

It presents the first clear detection of an anti-glitch in a magnetar, providing new insights into neutron star internal dynamics and glitch phenomena.

Findings

Detected a sudden spin-down in magnetar 1E 2259+586

Anti-glitch associated with X-ray radiative changes

Suggests differential rotation inside neutron stars

Abstract

Magnetars are neutron stars showing dramatic X-ray and soft $\gamma$-ray outbursting behaviour that is thought to be powered by intense internal magnetic fields. Like conventional young neutron stars in the form of radio pulsars, magnetars exhibit "glitches" during which angular momentum is believed to be transferred between the solid outer crust and the superfluid component of the inner crust. Hitherto, the several hundred observed glitches in radio pulsars and magnetars have involved a sudden spin-up of the star, due presumably to the interior superfluid rotating faster than the crust. Here we report on X-ray timing observations of the magnetar 1E 2259+586 which we show exhibited a clear "anti-glitch" -- a sudden spin down. We show that this event, like some previous magnetar spin-up glitches, was accompanied by multiple X-ray radiative changes and a significant spin-down rate change. This event, if of origin internal to the star, is unpredicted in models of neutron star spin-down and is suggestive of differential rotation in the neutron star, further supporting the need for a rethinking of glitch theory for all neutron stars.