Converting angular momentum into gamma rays seems amazing to me! How does it do it? Presume something to do with magnetic fields....why does it even have a magnetic field? Its made of neutrons so theres no charge rotating?
1 Answers
First of all, every star has a magnetic field, though it is in general very weak. The magnetic field gets created by convection inside a star. Depending on its mass a star can consist of different layers where convection, radiation or conduction happens. Stars with masses higher than 0.5 solar mass all have a convective core which generates a magnetic field. If you want to know more about this, you should consult a textbook on Stellar Structure.
Neutron stars are the remains of very massive stars, so they already have a significant magnetic field. With a supernova explosion the star collapses and the field lines get squeezed together producing even higher magnetic fields. Now a neutron star consist mostly of neutrons (obviously) but there is a thin outer layer were protons, electrons and iron atoms are present. They are the leftovers of the explosion bound again to the star. The high magnetic field and rotation give rise to a electric current on the surface. This in turn accelerates the protons and electrons along the field lines giving rise to all kinds of radiation.
Note however, that the acceleration mechanisms of GRBs are poorly understood. This is still active research and there are several possible explanations for it.