SGRs and AXPs: Evidence for Delayed Amplification of Magnetic Field after Neutron Star Formation?

Abstract

We present new analysis of the birth rate of AXPs and SGRS and their associated SNRs. UsingKolmogorov-Smirnov statistics together with parametric fits based on a robust estimator, we find a birth rate of ~1/(1000 years) for AXPs/SGRs and their associated SNRs. These high rates suggest that all massive stars (greaterthan ~(23–32)) give rise to remnants with magnetar-like fields. Observations indicate a limited fraction ofhigh magnetic fields in these progenitors; thus our study is suggestive of magnetic field amplification. Dynamomechanisms during the birth of the neutron stars require spin rates much faster than either observations or theoryindicate. We propose that massive stars produce neutron stars with normal (~ G) magnetic fields, which arethen amplified to - G after a delay of hundreds of years. The amplification is speculated to be a consequenceof color ferromagnetism and to occur with a delay after the neutron star core reaches quark deconfinement density(i.e., the quark-nova scenario). The delayed amplification allows one to interpret simultaneously the high birthrate and high magnetic fields of AXPs/SGRs and their link to massive stars.