Neutron star magnetic fields: origin, connection to their progenitor stars, and evolution


I will present a short overview of what is known observationally about neutron star magnetic fields, and the main 
ingredients of their theoretical modeling. Their magnetic fluxes are similar to those in magnetic main sequence 
stars and white dwarfs, suggesting a connection. In all these stars, stable stratification appears to play a role 
in allowing stable hydromagnetic equilibria. In neutron stars, these likely evolve through non-ideal MHD effects, 
giving rise to the "magnetar" phenomenon.