QPOs and firehose instabilities in neutron star magnetospheres in accreting systems

Abstract

We show that the interaction of an accretion disk with the magnetosphere of a neutron star can excite resonant shear Alfven waves with Hz-kHz frequencies in a region of enhanced density gradients. This is the the region where accretion material flows along the magnetic field lines in the magnetosphere. We argue that due to the pressure anisotropy produced by the plasma flow, firehose instabilities are likely to occur. Furthermore, for a dipolar field topology, we show that a new instability develops due to both magnetic field curvature and the plasma flow.