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Splitting a Magnetar?

Posted: 02.11.2010, 02:06
by Splinterfrag
On 27 December 2004 a strong burst of gamma rays shot out from a magnetar (neutron star with a very intense magnetic field) over 50,000 LY away. And still this caused a slight tampering with Earth's magnetic field. This was caused when the neutronium crust of the magnitar slipped a few centimetres.

Now I was wondering what could happen if say something cause a magnetar to compleatly split. Could this send out enough gamma rays to steralize the galaxy of possible life?