Open AccessThermal evolution of a pulsating neutron star
Author(s) -
Gusakov M. E.,
Yakovlev D. G.,
Gnedin O. Y.
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.09295.x
Subject(s) - physics , neutron star , volume viscosity , astrophysics , general relativity , viscosity , thermal , star (game theory) , superfluidity , stellar evolution , amplitude , mechanics , classical mechanics , stars , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics
ABSTRACT We have derived a set of equations to describe the thermal evolution of a neutron star which undergoes small‐amplitude radial pulsations. We have taken into account, within the framework of the general theory of relativity, the pulsation damping due to the bulk and shear viscosity and the accompanying heating of the star. The neutrino emission of a pulsating non‐superfluid star and its heating due to the bulk viscosity are calculated assuming that both processes are determined by the non‐equilibrium modified Urca process. Analytical and numerical solutions to the set of equations of the stellar evolution are obtained for linear and strongly non‐linear deviations from beta‐equilibrium. It is shown that a pulsating star may be heated to very high temperatures, while the pulsations damp very slowly with time as long as the damping is determined by the bulk viscosity (a power‐law damping over 100–1000 yr). The contribution of the shear viscosity to the damping becomes important in a rather cool star with a low pulsation energy.