A variational approach to relativistic superfluid vortex elasticity

TL;DR

This paper develops a relativistic variational formalism for superfluid vortex dynamics, incorporating elasticity of vortex arrays, with applications in astrophysics and cosmology such as neutron stars and dark matter.

Contribution

It extends the variational approach to relativistic superfluids by including vortex elasticity, grounded in geometric and string dynamics principles.

Findings

Provides a rigorous foundation for relativistic superfluid vortex modeling

Incorporates elastic properties of vortex arrays into the formalism

Enables more accurate astrophysical and cosmological simulations

Abstract

It is well known that a superfluid rotates by forming an array of quantized vortices. A relativistic formulation for superfluid vortex dynamics is required for a range of problems in astrophysics and cosmology, from neutron star interiors and radio pulsar glitches to possible dark matter condensates on galactic scales. This paper develops a formalism for such systems, extending the well-established variational approach to relativistic fluids to account for the presence of a collection of quantized vortices. The model is firmly anchored in the geometry of the problem (drawing on aspects from basic string dynamics) and accounts for elastic aspects associated with a vortex array, providing a precise foundation for applications which have so far been based on somewhat ad hoc phenomenology.