Influence of crustal mutual friction on the glitch rise
Abstract
Probing neutron star matter under extreme conditions relies on understanding the connection between macroscopic observables and microphysics. This plays an important role for pulsar glitches, where the post-glitch behaviour is typically modelled within a large-scalehydrodynamical framework. Physics on small scales enter the model in the form of vortex-averaged mutual friction, which directly controls the hydrodynamical coupling timescales. We address the frictional dynamics in the inner crust as a result of one specific mechanism, the excitation of kelvin vortex waves. We subsequently calculate the corresponding mutual friction strength for a set of realistic microscopic parameters and find it to be strongly density-dependent. Using a simple toymodel, we illustrate the implications of a strong and non-constant drag on the rotational evolution of the different neutron star components. We also highlight several uncertainties in our understanding of the microphysics and discuss how future observations of glitching pulsars could help to constrain these.
- Publication:
-
42nd COSPAR Scientific Assembly
- Pub Date:
- July 2018
- Bibcode:
- 2018cosp...42E1270G