Probing Magnetar Quasi-Periodic Spectral Oscillations with Advanced Time-Frequency Analysis

Project Description

Magnetars are young neutron stars characterized by the strongest magnetic fields in the Universe. Their transient X-ray emissions typically manifest as short energetic bursts. A few magnetars have been reported to exhibit quasi-periodic spectral oscillations (QPSOs) in their spectral peak energy. If confirmed, such fluctuations could be interpreted as perturbations in magnetospheric density and pressure. However, several previously reported QPSOs were not rigorously verified using advanced time-frequency analysis methods. In this project, we will utilize Fermi GBM data to extract time-resolved spectra from energetic magnetar bursts and apply the stack-spectrum Hilbert-Huang Transform (sHHT) to track the evolution of QPSO peak frequencies. This study aims to provide critical insights into magnetospheric activities and their potential connection to fast radio burst generation.