Open AccessMagnetic lensing near ultramagnetized neutron stars
Author(s) -
Shaviv Nir J.,
Heyl Jeremy S.,
Lithwick Yoram
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-8711.1999.02509.x
Subject(s) - physics , neutron star , gravitational lens , polarization (electrochemistry) , magnetic field , astrophysics , stars , weak gravitational lensing , galaxy , chemistry , redshift , quantum mechanics
Extremely strong magnetic fields change the vacuum index of refraction. This induces a lensing effect that is not unlike the lensing phenomenon in strong gravitational fields. The main difference between the two is the polarization dependence of the magnetic lensing, a behaviour that induces a handful of interesting effects. The main prediction is that the thermal emission of neutron stars with extremely strong magnetic fields is polarized – up to a few per cent for the largest fields known. This potentially allows a direct method for measuring their magnetic fields.