On the Nature of the Residual Magnetic Fields in Millisecond Pulsars

Abstract

We consider the expulsion of proton fluxoids along neutron vortices from the superfluid/superconductive core of neutron star with weak ($B<10^{10}$ G) magnetic field. The velocity of fluxoids is calculated from the balance of buoyancy, drag and crustal forces. We show, that the proton fluxoids can leave the superfluid core sliding {\it along} the neutron vortices on a timescale of about $10^7$ years. An alternative possibility is that fluxoids are aligned with the vortices on the same timescale. As the result, non--aligned surface magnetic fields of millisecond pulsars can be sustained for $\ga 10^9$ years only in case of a comparable dissipation timescale of the currents in the neutron star crust. This defines upper limits of the impurity concentration in the neutron star crust: $Q \la 0.1$ if a stiff equation of state determines the density profile.

5 pages, 2 figures; accepted by A&A