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Convection in protoneutron stars and the structure of surface magnetic fields in pulsars

V. Urpin, J. Gil

astro-pharXiv:astro-ph/0311181

Abstract

We consider generation and evolution of small-scale magnetic fields in neutron stars. These fields can be generated by small-scale turbulent dynamo action soon after the collapse when the proto-neutron star is subject to convective and neutron finger instabilities. After instabilities stop, small-scale fields should be frozen into the crust that forms initially at high density about 1014 g/cm3 and then spreads to the surface. Because of high crustal conductivity, magnetic fields with the lengthscale about 1-3 km can survive in the crust as long as 10-100 Myr and form a sunspot-like structure at the surface of radiopulsars.

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