Vortex structure of a neutron star with CFL quark core

TL;DR

This paper derives the equations governing semi-superfluid strings in the CFL phase of a neutron star's core, revealing a lattice of such strings with extremely strong magnetic fields that form during star rotation.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed theoretical model for semi-superfluid string structures in the CFL phase, accounting for magnetic and gluomagnetic couplings in neutron star cores.

Findings

A lattice of semi-superfluid strings forms during star rotation.

Magnetic fields in the core reach about 10^18 G.

Proton vortex clusters induce new semi-superfluid strings.

Abstract

The Ginzburg-Landau equations for magnetic and gluomagnetic gauge fields of the semi-superfluid strings in the color superconducting core of the neutron star with diquark condensate in the color-flavor-locking (CFL) phase are derived. The simultaneous coupling of the CFL diquark condensate to the magnetic and gluomagnetic gauge fields is taken into account. The asymptotic values of these string energies are defined from quantization conditions. It is shown that a lattice of semi-superfluid strings with minimal quantum of circulation emerges in the superconducting quark core during rotation of the star. The magnetic field in the core of this string is of order of 10^18 G. The cluster of proton vortices appeared in the hadronic phase around each superfluid neutron vortex due to entrainment effect, creates in the superconducting quark core new semi-superfluid strings with minimal quantum of circulation.