Cooling of Superfluid Neutron Stars
Abstract
Cooling of neutron stars (NSs) with the cores composed of neutrons, protons, and electrons is analyzed. The main cooling regulators are discussed: opening of direct Urca process in a NS central kernel; superfluidity of nucleons in NS interiors; surface layers of light (accreted) elements; strong surface magnetic fields. An emphasis is paid on the cooling scenario with strong S pairing of protons and weak P pairing of neutrons in the NS core, as well as strong S pairing of neutrons in the NS crust. The theory predicts three types of isolated cooling middle-aged NSs with distinctly different properties: low-mass, slowly cooling NSs; medium-mass, moderately cooling NSs; massive, rapidly cooling NSs. The theory is compared with observations of isolated NSs -- pulsars and radio quiet NSs in supernova remnants. The constraints on physical properties of NSs which can be inferred from such a comparison are outlined.
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0204226,
title = {Cooling of Superfluid Neutron Stars},
author = {D. G. Yakovlev and O. Y. Gnedin and A. D. Kaminker and A. Y. Potekhin},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0204226},
year = {2007}
}
Comments
14 pages, 13 figures, he_symp; to be published in Proceedings of the 270. Heraeus Seminar on Neutron Stars, Pulsars and Supernova Remnants, Bad Honnef, Jan. 21-25, 2002