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Do superfluid instabilities prevent neutron star precession?

Do superfluid instabilities prevent neutron star precession?
Do superfluid instabilities prevent neutron star precession?
We discuss short wavelength (inertial wave) instabilities present in the standard twofluid neutron star model when there is sufficient relative flow along the superfluid neutron vortex array. We demonstrate that these instabilities may be triggered in
precessing neutron stars, since the angular velocity vectors of the neutron and proton fluids are misaligned during precession. The presence of such an instability would render the standard, solid body rotation, model for free precession inconsistent. Our
results suggest that the standard (Eulerian) slow precession that results for weak drag between the vortices and the charged fluid (protons and electrons) is not seriously constrained by the existence of the instability. In contrast, the fast precession, which
results when vortices are strongly coupled to the charged component, is generally unstable. This implies that fast precession may not be realised in astrophysical systems.
dense matter, instabilities, stellar dynamics, stars: neutron, stars: oscillations, pulsars: general
1365-2966
1908-1924
Glampedakis, K.
bece2036-f721-468e-9cd2-cf4324ff2deb
Andersson, N.
2dd6d1ee-cefd-478a-b1ac-e6feedafe304
Jones, D.I.
b8f3e32c-d537-445a-a1e4-7436f472e160
Glampedakis, K.
bece2036-f721-468e-9cd2-cf4324ff2deb
Andersson, N.
2dd6d1ee-cefd-478a-b1ac-e6feedafe304
Jones, D.I.
b8f3e32c-d537-445a-a1e4-7436f472e160

Glampedakis, K., Andersson, N. and Jones, D.I. (2009) Do superfluid instabilities prevent neutron star precession? Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 394 (4), 1908-1924. (doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2008.13995.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

We discuss short wavelength (inertial wave) instabilities present in the standard twofluid neutron star model when there is sufficient relative flow along the superfluid neutron vortex array. We demonstrate that these instabilities may be triggered in
precessing neutron stars, since the angular velocity vectors of the neutron and proton fluids are misaligned during precession. The presence of such an instability would render the standard, solid body rotation, model for free precession inconsistent. Our
results suggest that the standard (Eulerian) slow precession that results for weak drag between the vortices and the charged fluid (protons and electrons) is not seriously constrained by the existence of the instability. In contrast, the fast precession, which
results when vortices are strongly coupled to the charged component, is generally unstable. This implies that fast precession may not be realised in astrophysical systems.

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More information

Published date: April 2009
Keywords: dense matter, instabilities, stellar dynamics, stars: neutron, stars: oscillations, pulsars: general

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 54973
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/54973
ISSN: 1365-2966
PURE UUID: 4facf088-0d2f-406b-98af-446ad985c4cc
ORCID for N. Andersson: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0001-8550-3843
ORCID for D.I. Jones: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0117-7567

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 04 Aug 2008
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 03:06

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Contributors

Author: K. Glampedakis
Author: N. Andersson ORCID iD
Author: D.I. Jones ORCID iD

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