Novel mechanism for type I superconductivity in neutron stars

Abstract

We suggest a mechanism that may resolve a conflict between the precession of a neutron star and the widely accepted idea that protons in the bulk of the neutron star form a type II superconductor. We will show that if there is a persistent, nondissipating current running along the magnetic flux tubes the force between magnetic flux tubes may be attractive, resulting in a type I, rather than a type II, superconductor. If this is the case, the conflict between the observed precession and the canonical estimation of the Landau-Ginzburg parameter κ>1/2 (which suggests type-II behavior) will automatically be resolved. We calculate the interaction between two vortices, each carrying a current j, and demonstrate that when j>ℏc2qλ, where q is the charge of the Cooper pair and λ is the Meissner penetration depth, a superconductor is always type-I, even when the cannonical Landau-Ginzburg parameter κ indicates type II behavior. If this condition is met, the magnetic field is completely expelled from the superconducting regions of the neutron star. This leads to the formation of the intermediate state, where alternating domains of superconducting matter and normal matter coexist. We further argue that even when the induced current is small j<ℏc2qλ the vortex Abrikosov lattice will nevertheless be destroyed due to the helical instability studied previously in many condensed matter systems. This would also resolve the apparent contradiction with the precession of the neutron stars. We also discuss some instances where anomalous induced currents may play a crucial role, such as in neutron star kicks, pulsar glitches, the toroidal magnetic field and the magnetic helicity.

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