On the stability of precessing superfluid neutron stars

Abstract

We discuss a new superfluid instability occuring in the interior of mature neutron stars with implications for freely precessing neutron stars. This short-wavelength instability is similar to the instability which is responsible for the formation of turbulence in superfluid Helium. Its existence raises serious questions about our understanding of neutron star precession and complicates attempts to constrain neutron star interiors using such observations.