Surface structure of quark stars with  magnetic fields

 

PRASHANTH JAIKUMAR

Department of Physics and Astronomy,

Ohio University, Athens, OH 45701, USA

E-mail: jaikumar@phy.ohio.edu

 

Abstract.  We investigate the impact of magnetic fields on the electron

distribution of the electrosphere of quark stars. For moderately

strong magnetic fields of $B\sim 10^{13}$ G, quantization effects are

generally weak due to the large number density of electrons at

surface, but can nevertheless affect the photon emission properties of

quark stars.  We outline the main observational characteristics of

quark stars as determined by their surface emission, and briefly

discuss their formation in explosive events termed as quark-novae, which

may be connected to the $r$-process.

 

Keywords. Quark stars; magnetic fields; nucleosynthesis.

 

PACS Nos 26.60.+c; 24.85.+p; 97.60.Jd