Extreme Plasmas around Neutron Stars and their Radiation

Speaker: Alexander Philippov (University of Maryland) In Person

Event Website

Neutron stars are physicists' dreams come true: they bring together aspects of classical and quantum electrodynamics, coupled with strongly magnetized plasma physics in the curved rotating spacetime of a massive compact object. They are observed to be powerful emitters of non-thermal electromagnetic radiation, spanning about 20 orders of magnitude in photon energy, from radio waves to multi-TeV gamma-rays. Understanding these diverse emission signatures requires modeling the complex dynamics of radiating relativistic plasmas, which occur across vastly different time and spatial scales. In this talk, I will explore how modern computational techniques now enable accurate simulations of these plasmas, facilitating direct comparisons with observational data. I will highlight simulations of pair production discharges and radiative magnetic reconnection, discussing their crucial role in powering pulsars’ multi-wavelength non-thermal radiation. I will finish by discussing the frontiers of studying plasmas around magnetars -- neutron stars possessing the strongest magnetic fields in the Universe --which can also be powering at least some of the enigmatic Fast Radio Bursts.