Question about the radiation around Neutron Stars or Pulsars

[Althistorybuff]

I have a sci-fi idea regarding being able to move planets around like billiard balls.

I'm theorizing that, after a nova, some of the bands of material around a star formed a new ring of rocky planets around a Neutron Star. Naturally, these are bathed in radiation.

Having never taken high school physics, would the electromagnetic radiation and radio waves emitted leave a "toxic" environment like spent nuclear fuel here or would removing the planet from the offending pulsar or neutron star remove the problem? i

Basically, I am creating a world and want to know if one could theoretically move planets to a more desirable neighborhood, how long would it take for the radiation to dissipate (half-life out) etc, assuming that these are even the right terms for this type of radiation. I didn't understand the Wikipedia entry so I thought I might try to get someone to dumb it down for me.

So, would being battered by electromagnetic radiation for potentially millions of years create a situation where even a terraformed planet would be uninhabitable or does this type of radiation not leave this long term problem?

Thanks.

 

[PeterDonis]

after a nova

I think you mean a supernova--that's what can turn an ordinary star into a neutron star. A nova (as opposed to a supernova) doesn't do that.

would the electromagnetic radiation and radio waves emitted leave a "toxic" environment like spent nuclear fuel here or would removing the planet from the offending pulsar or neutron star remove the problem?

The kind of EM radiation emitted by a supernova--gamma rays--can induce nuclear reactions, so it could leave behind radioactive materials. I don't know if anyone has tried to model this in any detail, though. For purposes of sci-fi, I think you could assume that planets removed from the radiation environment could be made habitable.

 

[PeterDonis]

Moderator's note: moved to the sci-fi forum.