Jumps in pulsar angular velocity and their relaxation with allowance for pinning and depinning of quantum vortex filaments

Abstract

The dynamics of the rotating two-component system in the core of a neutron star is considered. Equations of motion are derived with allowance for the pinning and depinning of neutron vortices, and general solutions of these equations are found for relatively small changes in the star's angular velocity. It is shown that these solutions can describe both a jump in a pulsar's angular velocity and its subsequent relaxation. The characteristic pinning and depinning times are estimated qualitatively from observational data for jumps in the angular velocity of the Vela pulsar.