Evidence for a multipolar magnetic field in SGR J1745-2900 from X-ray light-curve analysis

TL;DR

This study analyzes 3.5-year X-ray light-curve data of SGR J1745-2900 to infer a multipolar magnetic field structure through hot spot modeling, suggesting complex magnetic topology in this highly magnetized neutron star.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed hot spot model including general relativistic effects to support the presence of multipolar magnetic fields in SGR J1745-2900.

Findings

Light-curve compatible with two or three hot spots

Large hot spots imply complex magnetic field structure

Supports multipolar magnetic field hypothesis

Abstract

SGR J1745-2900 was detected from its outburst activity in April 2013 and it was the first soft gamma repeater (SGR) detected near the center of the Galaxy (Sagittarius A$^*$). We use 3.5-year Chandra X-ray light-curve data to constrain some neutron star (NS) geometric parameters. We assume that the flux modulation comes from hot spots on the stellar surface. Our model includes the NS mass, radius, a maximum of three spots of any size, temperature and positions, and general relativistic effects. We find that the light-curve of SGR J1745-2900 could be described by either two or three hot spots. The ambiguity is due to the small amount of data, but our analysis suggests that one should not disregard the possibility of multi-spots (due to a multipolar magnetic field) in highly magnetized stars. For the case of three hot spots, we find that they should be large and have angular semi-apertures ranging from 16-67 degrees. The large size found for the spots points to a magnetic field with a nontrivial poloidal and toroidal structure (in accordance with magnetohydrodynamics investigations and NICER's recent findings for PSR J0030+0451) and is consistent with the small characteristic age of the star. Finally, we also discuss possible constraints on the mass and radius of SGR J1745-2900 and briefly envisage possible scenarios accounting for the 3.5-year evolution of SGR J1745-2900 hot spots.