| Dr Nils Andersson (Dept of Mathematics, University of Southampton) |
| 14th November 2001 |
| Heavy weather: Astrophysical consequences of the r-mode instability |
| Three years ago it was discovered that the r-modes in a rotating neutron star are generically unstable due to the emission of gravitational waves. Subsequent theoretical modelling suggested that this instability is surprisingly strong and could play a significant role in the spin-evolution of newly born (hot) neutron stars, as well as older (cold) ones (eg. in low mass X-ray binaries). The instability also emerged one of the most promising sources for detectable gravitational waves. In this talk I provide an introduction to the r-modes and their instability, and present an overview of recent results regarding the astrophysical relevance of this mechanism. |
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