New insight into the physical essence of pulsar glitch
Abstract
Based on the oscillation between the B phase and A phase of 3P2 neutron superfluid in neutron stars, we propose a new glitch model for young pulsars. According to our model, the glitch is explained as a repeat phenomena from the quasi period 3P2 neutron superfluid B phase, to A phase, then to B phase (many repeated glitches with quasi-period). With the repeating of the phase transition, the vortex quantum number of 3P2 neutron superfluid vortices is gradually reduced, and the heating rate ε (B) in B phase also gets lower and lower. After a number of glitches, the time intervals between successive glitches will gradually become longer, and the glitch amplitude decreases. When the heating rate ε (B) of an old neutron star becomes lower than the cooling rate of the direct Urca, which can happen in a super-strongmagnetic field, the B phase of the 3P2 neutron superfluid vortices is no longer returned to the A phase state and the phase oscillation of the system is stopped immediately. The slowing glitch phenomenon of some older pulsars is a natural result of our theory, which means that very old pulsars will no longer present the glitch. Our model will be tested in future pulsar glitch observations.
- Publication:
-
New Astronomy
- Pub Date:
- January 2022
- DOI:
- 10.1016/j.newast.2021.101655
- Bibcode:
- 2022NewA...9001655P
- Keywords:
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- Phase oscillation;
- Pulsar glitch;
- Neutron superfluid