A possible way to reconcile long-period precession with vortex pinning in neutron stars

Abstract

ABSTRACT We propose a possible way to solve the problem of inconsistency between the neutron star long-period precession and superfluid vortex pinning, which is the basis of the most successful theories of pulsar glitches. We assume that the pinning takes place in the region of the neutron star core, which, being magnetically decoupled, can rotate relative to the crust. In the framework of a simple three-component model we show that these two phenomena can coexist in the same pulsar. Some constraints on the formally introduced interaction coefficients following from observation data are formulated.