The phonon spectrum of Coulomb lattice in neutron star crusts above the neutron drip density is affected by the interaction with the ambient neutron Fermi-liquid. For the values of the neutron-phonon coupling constant in the range 0.1 ≤ λ ≤ 1 an appreciable renormalization of the phonon spectrum occurs which can lead to a lattice instability manifested in an exponential growth of the density fl...

γ Cassiopeia (γ Cas), is known to be a binary system consisting of a Be-type star and a low-mass (M ∼ 1M ) companion of unknown nature orbiting in the Be-disc plane. Here, we apply the quasi-spherical accretion theory on to a compact magnetized star and show that if the low-mass companion of γ Cas is a fast spinning neutron star, the key observational signatures of γ Cas are remarkably well rep...

Relativistic spectral lines from the accretion disc of a neutron star low-mass X-ray binary can be modelled to infer the disc inner edge radius. A small value of this radius tentatively implies that the disc terminates either at the neutron star hard surface, or at the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO). Therefore an inferred disc inner edge radius either provides the stellar radius, or can...

In the atmospheric plasma of a strongly magnetized neutron star, vacuum polarization can induce a Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein type resonance across which an x-ray photon may (depending on its energy) convert from one mode into the other, with significant changes in opacities and polarizations. We show that this vacuum resonance effect gives rise to a unique energy-dependent polarization signat...

It is suggested that the persistent X-ray emission from the soft γ-ray repeaters is the thermal radiation of neutron stars which is enhanced by a factor of 10 or more due to the effect of a very strong magnetic field on the thermal structure of the neutron star envelope. For the thermal luminosity to be consistent with the persistent X-ray luminosity, the field strength at the neutron star surf...

Strong (B ≫ 10 G) and superstrong (B & 10 G) magnetic fields profoundly affect many thermodynamic and kinetic characteristics of dense plasmas in neutron star envelopes. In particular, they produce strongly anisotropic thermal conductivity in the neutron star crust and modify the equation of state and radiative opacities in the atmosphere, which are major ingredients of the cooling theory and s...

The current picture of the collapse and explosion of massive stars and the formation of neutron stars is reviewed. According to the favored scenario, however by no means proven and undisputed, neutrinos deposit the energy of the explosion in the stellar medium which surrounds the nascent neutron star. Observations, in particular of Supernova 1987A, suggest that mixing processes play an importan...

The globular cluster NGC 6440 is known to harbor a bright neutron star X-ray transient. We observed the globular cluster with Chandra on two occasions when the bright transient was in its quiescent state, in 2000 July and 2003 June (both observations were made nearly 2 yr after the end of their preceding outbursts). The quiescent spectrum during the first observation is well represented by a tw...

RX J0720.4−3125 is the third brightest neutron star in the soft X-ray sky and has been a source of mystery since its discovery, as its long 8-s period separates it from the population of typical radio pulsars. Three models were proposed for this source: a neutron star accreting from the interstellar medium, an off-beam radio pulsar, or an old, cooling magnetar. Using data from Chandra, ROSAT, a...

A relativistic version of Pauli paramagnetism for n − p − e system inside a strongly magnetized neutron star has been developed. An analytical expressions for the saturation value of magnetic field strength for each of these constituents at which they are completely polarized have been obtained. From the fully polarized configuration of electronic component, an upper limit for neutron star magn...