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starquake
The equivalent of an earthquake in a neutron stars: the favored explanation for glitches, or sudden changes that have been observed in the period of some pulsars. As a pulsar gradually slows down in its rate of rotation (see spin-down), its slightly oblate shape will tend to become spherical. The readjustments in its solid crust needed for this to happen will be accompanied by a fracturing and resettling of its crust – a starquake.
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