Effects of pairing gap and band gap on superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars

Calculations of the superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars using different approaches are in strong disagreement, which causes a debate on the accountability of pulsar glitches based on superfluidity. Using a simple unified model, we study the dependence on approximation of the super...

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Main Authors: Yuki Minami, Gentaro Watanabe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2022-08-01
Series:Physical Review Research
Online Access:http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.033141
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author Yuki Minami
Gentaro Watanabe
author_facet Yuki Minami
Gentaro Watanabe
author_sort Yuki Minami
collection DOAJ
description Calculations of the superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars using different approaches are in strong disagreement, which causes a debate on the accountability of pulsar glitches based on superfluidity. Using a simple unified model, we study the dependence on approximation of the superfluid density in a periodic potential. In comparison with the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory, which treats the effects of the band gap and the pairing gap on equal footing, we examine a Hartree-Fock-BCS-type (HF-BCS-type) approximation in which the former is preferentially incorporated and another approximation in which the latter is preferentially incorporated. We find that, when the pairing gap and the band gap are comparable as in the inner crust of neutron stars, they need to be treated on equal footing, and the HF-BCS approximation can considerably underestimate the superfluid density even if the pairing gap is much smaller than the Fermi energy. Our result suggests that the validity of the HF-BCS approximation for evaluating the superfluid density in neutron star crusts is questionable.
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spelling doaj.art-07d1811d086f427797857b250eaa51e02024-04-12T17:23:52ZengAmerican Physical SocietyPhysical Review Research2643-15642022-08-014303314110.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.033141Effects of pairing gap and band gap on superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron starsYuki MinamiGentaro WatanabeCalculations of the superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars using different approaches are in strong disagreement, which causes a debate on the accountability of pulsar glitches based on superfluidity. Using a simple unified model, we study the dependence on approximation of the superfluid density in a periodic potential. In comparison with the Hartree-Fock-Bogoliubov theory, which treats the effects of the band gap and the pairing gap on equal footing, we examine a Hartree-Fock-BCS-type (HF-BCS-type) approximation in which the former is preferentially incorporated and another approximation in which the latter is preferentially incorporated. We find that, when the pairing gap and the band gap are comparable as in the inner crust of neutron stars, they need to be treated on equal footing, and the HF-BCS approximation can considerably underestimate the superfluid density even if the pairing gap is much smaller than the Fermi energy. Our result suggests that the validity of the HF-BCS approximation for evaluating the superfluid density in neutron star crusts is questionable.http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.033141
spellingShingle Yuki Minami
Gentaro Watanabe
Effects of pairing gap and band gap on superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars
Physical Review Research
title Effects of pairing gap and band gap on superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars
title_full Effects of pairing gap and band gap on superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars
title_fullStr Effects of pairing gap and band gap on superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars
title_full_unstemmed Effects of pairing gap and band gap on superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars
title_short Effects of pairing gap and band gap on superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars
title_sort effects of pairing gap and band gap on superfluid density in the inner crust of neutron stars
url http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.4.033141
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