: a hypothetical violent shiver in the crust of a neutron star.

What happens during a starquake?

When the crust heats up and finally tears, a fireball of electrons, photons and plasma emerges as a bubble on the side of the star, researchers believe. A bright beam of radiation attaches the fiery bubble to the magnetar, and emits a giant burst of energy.

What causes a star quake?

A starquake is an astrophysical phenomenon that occurs when the crust of a neutron star undergoes a sudden adjustment, analogous to an earthquake on Earth. ... One is the huge stresses exerted on the surface of the neutron star produced by twists in the ultra-strong interior magnetic fields.