The Strongest Magnetic Fields in the Universe

This volume extends the ISSI series on magnetic fields in the Universe into the domain of what are by far the strongest fields in the Universe, and stronger than any field that could be produced on Earth. The chapters describe the magnetic fields in non-degenerate strongly magnetized stars,in degenerate stars (such as white dwarfs and neutron stars), exotic members called magnetars, and in their environments, as well as magnetic fields in the environments of black holes. These strong fields have a profound effect on the behavior of matter, visible in particular in highly variable processes like radiation in all known wavelengths, including Gamma-Ray bursts. The generation and structure of such strong magnetic fields and effects on the environment are also described. 

Vasily Beskin is Professor and Senior Researcher at the Lebedev Physical Institute, Moscow, Russia. He is a leading theoretician in pulsar and neutron star physics. He is a member of the pulsar physics group at the Russian Academy of Sciences. He has published extensively on pulsar radiation mechanisms, formation and properties of radio pulsars and black hole magnetospheres. Among his publications one of the fundamental books is on the magnetohydrodynamics in compact astrophysical objects.

Andre Balogh, Professor Emeritus, Imperial College London, UK, is a renowned space physicist. He has been Director of the Space Physics Group at Imperial College and a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union, Royal Astronomical Society and European Geophysical Union. He has published several hundred peer-reviewed scientific papers in the leading journals of his field as author/co-author. He was PI on several space missions, in particular on the famous and successful CLUSTER mission. He has produced many successful students and PhDs. Among the books published by him are six co-edited SSSI-volumes and a monograph on Collisionless Shocks. He was a member of many scientific committees and is one of the leading figures in the investigation of near-Earth space. 

Maurizio Falanga’s scientific background is in high-energy astrophysics, mainly dealing with compact objects, and working as Science Program Manager at the International Space Science Institute. Since September 2013 he is Executive Director of the International Space Sciences Institute in Beijing, China, and Professor at the National Space Science Centre in Beijing, China. He has published over 100 papers in his research fields as author/co-author. At the same time, he has acted as supervisor for undergraduate and Ph.D. students.

Maxim Lyutikov, Professor at Purdue University, Indiana, USA, is a young theoretical physicist, astronomer and professor working in the high-energy astrophysical field. He has published on neutron star physics, accretion, the generation of magnetic fields, and on the problem of structure of the interior of magnetars, the strongest magnetic field sources found in the universe. He is a member of several international societies and one of the leading figures in his field. He has published over 100 papers in leading astrophysical journals.

Sandro Mereghetti, Professor at INAF Milano Italy, is the head of the high-energy astrophysics group at INAF in Milano. He specializes in neutron stars and in particular magnetars and their effects on the environment. He is a member of astronomical societies and has published as author/co-author well over 300 papers in the leading journals in astrophysics and astronomy.

Tsvi Piran, Professor at Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel, is one of the leading figures in the world on the theory of gamma ray bursts, accretion physics and high energy phenomena in astrophysics. His refereed publications amount to roughly 300, several of them cited many hundred times (one of his reviews in Reviews of Modern Physics has been cited 900 times). Being a devoted teacher and researcher he heads a large group at Hebrew University, a school that has in the recent past produced several very well known scientists in the field of high energy astrophysics.

Rudolf Treumann is a Professor of Geophysics at Munich University, Munich, Germany, with speciality of space physics. He is a member of the European Academy of Sciences and working in theoretical physics. His record includes four textbooks and monographs, and five co-edited SSSI volumes.