Magnetars
Magnetars are able to release enormous amounts of energy, during sudden & intense bursts. A single flare from a Magnetar can release more energy in a fraction of a second than the Sun emits over an entire year. This is roughly equivalent to 10^44 Joules. (100,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 J), which is comparable to a supernova explosion, but happens within a millisecond to a few seconds.
This happens because of their intense magnetic fields – when the field lines snap, and reconnect on the magnetar’s surface, it triggers a violent energy release, along with Starquakes.
But what are they?
Magnetars are a type of neutron star, with an extremely powerful magnetic field, (of at least 109 Gauss). The stars magnetic field decay, power the emission of high-energy electromagnetic radiation, particularly X-rays and Gamma rays.
They are around 20 kilometres in diameter, and have a mass of about 1.4 M☉. They originate from a star that has collapsed with a mass of 10-25 M☉. The material inside of one is such that a tablespoon of matter, would weigh over 100 million tons.
How are they different?
Magnetars are distinguished from other neutron stars, by their increasingly stronger magnetic fields, and also have a much slower rotational period, than the insanely fast pulsars.
Most magnetars that have been observed typically rotate once every two to ten seconds, whereas a typical neutron stars, they would rotate one to ten times per second.
Compared to other neutron stars, the active life of a Magnetar is much shorter, where their magnetic fields decay within a period of about 10,000 years. After which, their activity and strong X-ray emissions cease.
