• Accepted Paper

Turbulent dynamo action in binary neutron star mergers

Eduardo M. Gutiérrez, David Radice, Jacob Fields, and James M. Stone

Phys. Rev. Lett. - Accepted 21 September, 2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/5x5z-x12x

Abstract

We perform general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamics zoom-in simulations of the merger of two neutron stars starting with pulsar-like realistic initial magnetic field. We employ unprecedented grid resolution down to Δx≃2.9 m. We find rapid amplification of the magnetic energy at small scales, and demonstrate the action of a small-scale turbulent dynamo. We find evidence that ordered large-scale magnetic structures emerge already during the early post-merger evolution. These results indicate that strong magnetic fields can be established promptly after merger, with important consequences for the electromagnetic counterparts of binary neutron star mergers.

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