Gamma-ray bursts and neutron star field decayAssuming a Galactic origin of gamma-ray bursts, we use pulsar data to calculate the spatial distribution of neutron stars and determine the sampling depths of current detectors. Based on these distance limits, we calculate the corresponding age distribution of Galactic neutron stars and apply an exponential field decay model to test whether the observed high incidence rate of cyclotron lines is consistent with suggested field decay time scales of order 10 exp 7 years. We find that the properties of the observed population of gamma-ray bursts are inconsistent with the idea that bursts originate at arbitrary times on neutron stars whose fields decay on time scales shorter than about 10 exp 9 years. Possible interpretations of this inconsistency are discussed.
Document ID
19930036216
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Proceedings
Authors
Hartmann, Dieter (Clemson Univ. SC, United States)
Blumenthal, George (California Univ. Santa Cruz, United States)
Chuang, Kuan-Wen (California Univ. Riverside, United States)
Hurley, Kevin (California Univ. Berkeley, United States)
Kargatis, Vincent (Rice Univ. Houston, TX, United States)
Liang, Edison (Clemson Univ. SC, United States)
Linder, Eric (Steward Observatory Tucson, AZ, United States)