Modeling magnetic neutron stars: a short overview

TL;DR

This paper reviews the modeling of magnetic neutron stars, focusing on how magnetic fields influence their structure, composition, and observable properties using relativistic models and Einstein-Maxwell equations.

Contribution

It provides a summary of recent approaches incorporating magnetic fields into neutron star models via relativistic mean field theories and Einstein-Maxwell equations.

Findings

Magnetic fields significantly affect neutron star mass and radius.

Equation of state modeling influences star deformation and magnetic field distribution.

Open questions remain in accurately modeling magnetic neutron star properties.

Abstract

Neutron stars are the endpoint of the life of intermediate mass stars and posses in their cores matter in the most extreme conditions in the universe. Besides their extremes of temperature (found in proto-neutron stars) and densities, typical neutron star' magnetic fields can easily reach trillions of times higher the one of the Sun. Among these stars, about $10\%$ are denominated \emph{magnetars} which possess even stronger surface magnetic fields of up to $10^{15}-10^{16}\,\mathrm{G}$. In this conference proceeding, we present a short review of the history and current literature regarding the modeling of magnetic neutron stars. Our goal is to present the results regarding the introduction of magnetic fields in the equation of state of matter using Relativistic Mean Field models (RMF models) and in the solution of Einstein's equations coupled to the Maxwell's equations in order to generate a consistent calculation of magnetic stars structure. We discuss how equation of state modeling affects mass, radius, deformation, composition and magnetic field distribution in stars and also what are the open questions in this field of research.