If flying toward a magnetar, what physical force is identified as the immediate executioner long before gravity crushes an approaching object?
Answer
The magnetic field itself, which overwhelms atomic electromagnetic forces.
When considering an approach to a neutron star, gravity is a significant factor, but the magnetic field presents a more immediate existential threat due to its extreme strength and rapid decay rate near the surface. The text emphasizes that the gravitational gradient is not the primary killer unless the object physically impacts the surface. Instead, the magnetic field becomes so powerful at close range that it disrupts the electromagnetic forces binding atoms, leading to molecular disassembly and effectively vaporizing the approaching matter into a plasma stream channeled along the field lines.
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