Magnetars, Pulsars, and the Soft Gamma-ray Band

Dr. George Younes

George Washington University

Neutron stars offer the unique capability of studying matter and radiation under extreme combinations of density, magnetic fields, and gravity, unattainable anywhere else in the universe. Radio, soft X-ray, and high-energy GeV observations have been fundamental to our understanding of neutron star physics in the last few decades. However, the luminosity peak of two of the most extreme isolated neutron star populations, MeV pulsars and magnetars, resides in the soft gamma-ray range. This window into the universe is presently under-explored, and despite recent observational advances, these sources remain poorly understood. In this talk, I will discuss the advancement in our understanding of the fundamental physics governing the radiative processes of these sources made possible by a sensitive spectro-polarimetric soft gamma-ray mission such as the All-sky Medium Energy Gamma-ray Observatory, AMEGO.