The effect of quantized magnetic flux lines on the dynamics of superfluid neutron star cores

Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15575.x

We investigate dynamical coupling time-scales of a neutron star's superfluid core, taking into account the interactions of quantized neutron vortices with quantized flux lines of the proton superconductor in addition to the previously considered scattering of the charged components against the spontaneous magnetization of the neutron vortex line. We compare the cases where vortex motion is constrained in different ways by the array of magnetic flux tubes associated with superconducting protons. This includes absolute pinning to and creeping across a uniform array of flux lines. The effect of a toroidal arrangement of flux lines is also considered. The inclusion of a uniform array of flux tubes in the neutron star core significantly decreases the time-scale of coupling between the neutron and proton fluid constituents in all cases. For the toroidal component, creep response similar to that of the inner crust superfluid is possible.