April 24, 2024
Hiroshima University
Keio University
Nihon University
Key Findings of This Research
Neutron stars (also known as pulsars) experience a phenomenon called a "glitch," where their rotation suddenly speeds up.
We proposed for the first time the formation of a giant quantum vortex network, created by the quantum fluid inside a neutron star, as the origin of glitches.
This research explains the statistical properties of glitches observed in astronomy and clarifies how topological quantum phenomena in microscopic systems manifest in macroscopic systems like celestial bodies.
In this study, we have for the first time discovered the statistical properties of a giant quantum vortex network driven by the quantum fluid inside a neutron star. Neutron stars are small, extremely dense celestial bodies that rotate at high speeds. It has been a mystery why they experience a phenomenon known as a "glitch," a sudden, rapid increase in their rotational speed. We found that quantum vortices from two different types of quantum fluids within a neutron star form a giant network. By investigating the scale of this giant quantum vortex network's formation through numerical simulations, we have successfully explained the statistical properties of glitches observed in astronomy, independent of the model's specific details.
For the full press release, please see below.