Superfluid Rivers in Spinning-down Neutron Stars

Abstract

We study the motion of neutron superfluid vortices in a spinning-down neutron star, assuming axisymmetry of the flow and ignoring motion of vortices about the rotation axis. We find that the vortex array, if initially rectilinear, is soon substantially deformed as the star spins down; vortices are swept outward by the Magnus force, accumulating in regions of the inner crust where they pin, accompanied by significant bending of the vortex array. As the star spins down to below a spin rate of ~20 Hz (twice the spin rate of the Vela pulsar), the Magnus and pinning forces gradually compress the vortex array into dense sheets that follow spherical shells. In some cases, the vortex array bends on itself and reconnects, forming one or more tori of vortex rings that contain superfluid ``rivers" with significant angular momentum. Vortex sheets are likely to form near the base of the inner crust, in the regime of nuclear pasta.