Superfluidity and Superconductivity in Neutron Stars

TL;DR

This review explores how superfluidity and superconductivity manifest in neutron stars, covering microphysical pairing mechanisms and macroscopic phenomena like pulsar glitches and vortex pinning.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview connecting microscopic pairing physics to observable neutron star behaviors, including recent developments in vortex pinning and star oscillations.

Findings

Superfluidity influences pulsar timing and glitches.

Vortex pinning plays a key role in neutron star dynamics.

Recent studies highlight complex vortex interactions.

Abstract

This review focuses on applications of the ideas of superfluidity and superconductivity in neutron stars in a broader context, ranging from the microphysics of pairing in nucleonic superfluids to macroscopic manifestations of superfluidity in pulsars. The exposition of the basics of pairing, vorticity and mutual friction can serve as an introduction to the subject. We also review some topics of recent interest, including the various types of pinning of vortices, glitches, and oscillations in neutron stars containing superfluid phases of baryonic matter.