Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A violent rift in the dense surface of a magnetar that has been warped by its own intense magnetic field.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun astronomy A violent tremor or quake that occurs on or near the surface of a star, especially a collapsed star

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[star + quake, on the model of earthquake.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Blend of English “star” and “earthquake

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Examples

  • In this image, a highly-magnetized neutron star undergoes a "starquake", a violent seismic rearrangement of the neutron star's crust, creating a explosion of gamma-rays which can easily be seen from across the galaxy.

    Livescience.com 2009

  • Fortunately, none of them is closer than SGR 1900+14, so your keys should still be right where you left them. 1 When a large star burns out, it explodes into a massive cloud of gas called a supernova. 2 The star's core condenses and if it spins fast enough, it generates a powerful magnetic field. 3 The field surrounds the star; its force can crack the surface, which explodes in a "starquake."

    Debut Of A Mighty Magnetar 2008

  • Astronomers expect more data soon, from less powerful starquake aftershocks on SGR 1900+14, and from the other three suspected active magnetars in the galactic neighborhood.

    Debut Of A Mighty Magnetar 2008

  • Powerful beams of X-rays emanating from a magnetar have astrophysicists wondering what could cause such a massive starquake ...

    unknown title 2009

  • 4 On Aug. 27, radiation from a massive starquake blasted our atmosphere, disrupting radio communications. 5 In time, all magnetars lose energy and become dormant.

    Debut Of A Mighty Magnetar 2008

  • 38Crab nebula radiation (supernova that exploded) 38a neutron star's starquake gamma ray emission (in one-tenth of a second)

    AllDeaf.com 2009

  • 38Crab nebula radiation (supernova that exploded) 38a neutron star's starquake gamma ray emission (in one-tenth of a second)

    AllDeaf.com 2009

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  • "Before figuring out the nature of Kepler-10b, the scientists looked at the host star's properties, as revealed by starquakes, acoustic disturbances that make the entire star ring like a bell." -- "NASA Finds Smallest Earthlike Planet Outside Solar System," National Geographic Daily News

    January 11, 2011

  • Nice to know that our little world isn't the only thing that's shakin' in the universe.

    March 23, 2011