Friday, September 26, 2025 - 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
DeMeritt Hall - Rm. 240
Title: Extreme plasma processes around compact objects
Presenter: Jens Mahlmann, Assistant Professor – Dartmouth – Department of Physics & Astronomy
Host: Benjamin Chandran, Professor & Chair - Physics & Astronomy Department
Abstract:
In this talk, I will discuss how stars with extremely strong magnetic fields generate some of the most powerful events in space—including X-ray transients and fast radio bursts (FRBs). Using advanced computer simulations, we model magnetic energy dissipation and radiative processes in the extreme environments of magnetars and binary neutron stars with unprecedented realism. This approach allows us to probe key system characteristics for the first time, including thermal seed photon distributions, first-principles spectra, and decay-time estimates that directly connect to X-ray observations. I will also present new work on a possible radio-wave activation mechanism in magnetized winds: Alfvénic perturbations advected onto magnetized shocks can convert into superluminal modes that escape as coherent radio emission, offering a potential pathway for FRB generation.
