anomalous X-ray pulsar (AXP) pulsâr-e pertwâ-ye iks-e nâsân Fr.: pulsar X anormal A member of a small class of → X-ray pulsars with long rotation periods (6-12 seconds), short → spin-down times (~ 103-105 years), and → soft X-ray spectrum. AXPs show no evidence of being → X-ray binary systems. Their magnetic fields, as deduced from their spin-down rate, are the highest known, reaching 1013-1015 → gauss. AXPs are generally believed to be → magnetars. |