Axisymmetric equilibrium models for magnetized neutron stars in General Relativity under the Conformally Flat Condition

Understand

Extremely magnetized neutron stars with magnetic fields as strong as $\sim 10^{15-16}$ G, or magnetars, have received considerable attention in the last decade due to their identification as a plausible source for Soft Gamma Repeaters and Anomalous X-ray Pulsars.

• Moreover, this class of compact objects has been proposed as a possible engine capable of powering both Long and Short Gamma-Ray Bursts, if the rotation period in their formation stage is short enough (~1 ms).
• Such strong fields are expected to induce substantial deformations of the star and thus to produce the emission of gravitational waves.
• Here we investigate, by means of numerical modeling, axisymmetric static equilibria of polytropic and strongly magnetized stars in full general relativity, within the ideal magneto-hydrodynamic regime.