Andreev Beta Conversion and Bulk Viscosity in Superfluid Neutron-Star Matter
Abstract
Bulk viscosity in neutron-star matter is attributed to the phase lag between a density oscillation and weak beta equilibration. We point out a distinct coherent channel when the baryonic component that stores the condensate is superfluid: an effective beta-conversion event between a neutron condensate and normal protons can proceed as an Andreev process, converting a particle-like excitation into a hole-like excitation while adding or removing a Cooper pair from the condensate. The resulting Andreev contribution to beta equilibration is fourth order in the effective conversion vertex, is enhanced by anomalous neutron Green's functions, and is not captured by standard Urca process. We identify the density, temperature, and oscillation-frequency regimes where this channel can dominate viscous damping of neutron-star oscillations and mergers.
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BibTeX
@misc{zhang2026andreev,
title = {{Andreev Beta Conversion and Bulk Viscosity in Superfluid Neutron-Star Matter}},
author = {Tingyu Zhang and Honoka Hoshino and Hiroyuki Tajima and Motoi Tachibana and Mariusz Sadzikowski},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2610.23581},
eprint = {2610.23581},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.23581},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Andreev Beta Conversion and Bulk Viscosity in Superfluid Neutron-Star Matter
AU - Tingyu Zhang
AU - Honoka Hoshino
AU - Hiroyuki Tajima
AU - Motoi Tachibana
AU - Mariusz Sadzikowski
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/16
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2610.23581
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2610.23581
AB - Bulk viscosity in neutron-star matter is attributed to the phase lag between a density oscillation and weak beta equilibration. We point out a distinct coherent channel when the baryonic component that stores the condensate is superfluid: an effective beta-conversion event between a neutron condensate and normal protons can proceed as an Andreev process, converting a particle-like excitation into a hole-like excitation while adding or removing a Cooper pair from the condensate. The resulting Andreev contribution to beta equilibration is fourth order in the effective conversion vertex, is enhanced by anomalous neutron Green's functions, and is not captured by standard Urca process. We identify the density, temperature, and oscillation-frequency regimes where this channel can dominate viscous damping of neutron-star oscillations and mergers.
ER -