Simulating neutron star magnetothermal evolution with QMFM

Joint modelling of the evolution of magnetic fields and temperature of neutron stars is a key tool in connecting electromagnetic observations to the interior structure, composition and dynamics of these objects. I will discuss the finite volume code Quantizing Magnetic Fields in Magnetars (QMFM) that I am developing for this purpose. As a first application, I study how quantizing magnetic fields can enhance the Joule heating of the stellar interior, and whether this can explain the apparent order of magnitude higher surface luminosity of magnetars compared to radio pulsars. Preliminary results suggest that while this effect does enhance field dissipation, it does not necessarily increase the surface temperature, as the additional dissipated energy is radiated from the inner crust as neutrinos before it can reach the surface to be radiated as photons.