Are Pulsars Giant Permanent Magnets?
http://www.dearastronomer.com/
The Vela Pulsar contains a neutron star – the remains of a supernova explosion.
Image Credit:
NASA/CXC/PSU/G.Pavlov et al.
Some of the most bizarre phenomenon in the universe are neutron stars. Very few things in our universe can rival the density in these remnants of supernova explosions.
Johan Hansson and Anna Ponga (Lulea University of Technology, Sweden) have written a paper which outlines a new theory on how the magnetic fields of neutron stars form.
Hansson and Ponga theorize that not only can the movement of charged particles form a magnetic field, but also the alignment of the magnetic fields of components that make up the neutron star – similar to the process of forming ferromagnets.
You can read the full article I wrote for Universe Today at: http://www.universetoday.com/91174/are-pulsars-giant-permanent-magnets/
Don’t forget, I’m a finalist for a $10,000 blogging scholarship, but I need your votes!
Please take a moment and vote for me (you can vote once a day!) at: http://www.collegescholarships.org/blog/2011/11/18/2011-blogging-scholarship/
Ray Sanders is a Sci-Fi geek, astronomer and blogger. Currently researching variable stars at Arizona State University, he writes for Universe Today, The Planetary Society blog, and his own blog, Dear Astronomer
2012-12-04 08:06:57
Source: http://www.dearastronomer.com/2011/11/22/are-pulsars-giant-permanent-magnets/
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