Open AccessWaiting for the Big One: a new class of soft gamma‐ray repeater outbursts?
Author(s) -
Eichler David
Publication year - 2002
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.1365-8711.2002.05571.x
Subject(s) - physics , astrophysics , gamma ray , class (philosophy) , repeater (horology) , astronomy , mechanical engineering , artificial intelligence , computer science , coupling (piping) , engineering
It is suggested that magnetars eventually become unstable to a dynamic overturning instability that destroys most of their dipole moment in a single event. It is further suggested that such an instability would produce a supergiant version of the largest soft gamma‐ray bursts that have thus far been observed, and that they could be observed out to tens or even 10 2 Mpc. Persistent emission and afterglows from the fireball might confirm positive identification with nearby galaxies and perhaps provide other distinguishing features as well.