Fermionic Superfluidity: From Cold Atoms to Neutron Stars

TL;DR

This paper explains the mechanisms of fermionic superfluidity, explores its relevance to neutron stars, and discusses how cold atom experiments and simulations can help us understand these exotic systems.

Contribution

It provides a pedagogical overview of fermionic superfluidity and highlights how cold atom experiments and computational simulations can model neutron star interiors.

Findings

Superfluidity involves pairing gaps affecting neutron star cooling.

Cold atom systems can mimic neutron star conditions.

Simulations enable detailed study of fermionic superfluid properties.

Abstract

From flow without dissipation of energy to the formation of vortices when placed within a rotating container, the superfluid state of matter has proven to be a very interesting physical phenomenon. Here we present the key mechanisms behind superfluidity in fermionic systems and apply our understanding to an exotic system found deep within the universe -- the superfluid found deep within a neutron star. A defining trait of a superfluid is the pairing gap, which the cooling curves of neutron stars depend on. The extreme conditions surrounding a neutron star prevent us from directly probing the superfluid's properties, however, we can experimentally realize conditions resembling the interior through the use of cold atoms prepared in a laboratory and simulated on a computer. Experimentalists are becoming increasingly adept at realizing cold atomic systems in the lab that mimic the behavior of neutron stars and superconductors. In their turn, computational physicists are leveraging the power of supercomputers to simulate interacting atomic systems with unprecedented accuracy. This paper is intended to provide a pedagogical introduction to the underlying concepts and the possibility of using cold atoms as a tool that can help us make significant strides towards understanding exotic physical systems.