The role of magnetar transient activity in time-domain and multimessenger astronomy

TL;DR

This paper emphasizes the importance of magnetar transient activity in advancing time-domain and multimessenger astronomy, highlighting observational needs and scientific opportunities in understanding extreme physics and astrophysical phenomena.

Contribution

It underscores the critical role of magnetars in TDAMM and outlines key observational and research priorities to enhance understanding of their extreme properties.

Findings

Magnetars are crucial for understanding extreme magnetic fields.

Observational continuity is essential for magnetar studies.

Magnetar research impacts fundamental physics and astrophysics.

Abstract

Time-domain and multimessenger astronomy (TDAMM) involves the study of transient and time-variable phenomena across various wavelengths and messengers. The Astro2020 Decadal Survey has identified TDAMM as the top priority for NASA in this decade, emphasizing its crucial role in advancing our understanding of the universe and driving new discoveries in astrophysics. The TDAMM community has come together to provide further guidance to funding agencies, aiming to define a clear path toward optimizing scientific returns in this research domain. This encompasses not only astronomy but also fundamental physics, offering insights into gravity properties, the formation of heavy elements, the equation of state of dense matter, and quantum effects associated with extreme magnetic fields. Magnetars, neutron stars with the strongest magnetic fields known in the universe, play a critical role in this context. In this manuscript, we aim to underscore the significance of magnetars in TDAMM, highlighting the necessity of ensuring observational continuity, addressing current limitations, and outlining essential requirements to expand our knowledge in this field.