Effect of magnetic field on electron neutrino sphere in pulsars

Abstract

We study the neutrino interaction rates through charged as well as neutral current weak interactions in hot, dense magnetized matter. At densities near the neutrino sphere, matter in the presence of intense magnetic field is polarized and electrons and protons typically occupy the lowest Landau level. The weak interaction rates in such a situation are severally modified leading to a sizable change in neutrino opacity and consequently on the location of the neutrino sphere which also gets distorted. This has implications for pulsar velocity explanations.