This thesis investigates the role of superfluidity in neutron stars and associated phenomena. We model the internal fluid of a neutron star as a two-component system: one of charged particles and one of superfluid neutrons. We derive a set of multi-constituent hydrodynamic equations that allows for a mutual friction between the constituents. We show that when a velocity difference exists between the two constituents the momentum of each constituent is modified by an entrainment parameter. Throughout all of this work we take direction from both theoretical and experimental work on superfluid Helium. This suggests that a force due to vortex lines in the superfluid acts between the two constituents. The hydrodynamic equations are on a scale at which the effect of vortices can be averaged over. The form of the mutual friction between the two constituents depends on the configuration of the vortices. Firstly, we concentrate on an array of vortices. The mutual friction is calculated both for a straight array, and then extended to a ‘moderately’ curved array. We also investigate a turbulent model for the superfluid neutrons in which the vortices are in a tangle. To include rotation in our model we use a phenomenological approach to construct the mutual friction for a polarised tangle. The hydrodynamic equations are used to investigate how entrainment and mutual friction affect plane waves. We show that there are conditions in which the waves are unstable and discuss how this may lead to turbulence. As a first step in considering the neutron star crust we consider how oscillations in the fluid are dissipated on a boundary. As before, we concentrate on the effects of entrainment and mutual friction. Finally, we consider a simple global model of the glitch phenomenon seen in neutron stars in which the important process is a reconfiguration of the vortex array. We use this model to consider how the observational data may constrain parameters.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:444132 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Creators | Sidery, Trevor Lloyd |
| Contributors | Andersson, Nils |
| Publisher | University of Southampton |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/66270/ |
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