JCJames Charbonneau

James Charbonneau

*This is an algorithmically generated author record based on publicly available information.

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James Charbonneau has a total of 2 co-authors. Here are the top co-authors by number of shared publications:


Latest Publications

  • Novel mechanism for type I superconductivity in neutron stars

    by James Charbonneau, Ariel Zhitnitsky

    We suggest a mechanism that may resolve a conflict between the precession of a neutron star and the widely accepted idea that protons in the bulk of the neutron star form a type II superconductor. We will show that if there is a persistent, nondissipating current running along the magnetic flux tubes the force between magnetic flux tubes may be attractive, resulting in a type I, rather than a type II, superconductor. If this is the case, the conflict between the observed precession and the canonical estimation of the Landau-Ginzburg parameter κ>1/2 (which suggests type-II behavior) will automatically be resolved. We calculate the interaction between two vortices, each carrying a current j, and demonstrate that when j>ℏc2qλ, where q is the charge of the Cooper pair and λ is the Meissner penetration depth, a superconductor is always type-I, even when the cannonical Landau-Ginzburg parameter κ indicates type II behavior. If this condition is met, the magnetic field is completely expelled from the superconducting regions of the neutron star. This leads to the formation of the intermediate state, where alternating domains of superconducting matter and normal matter coexist. We further argue that even when the induced current is small j<ℏc2qλ the vortex Abrikosov lattice will nevertheless be destroyed due to the helical instability studied previously in many condensed matter systems. This would also resolve the apparent contradiction with the precession of the neutron stars. We also discuss some instances where anomalous induced currents may play a crucial role, such as in neutron star kicks, pulsar glitches, the toroidal magnetic field and the magnetic helicity.


  • Open Access

    A Novel Mechanism for Type-I Superconductivity in Neutron Stars

    by James Charbonneau, Ariel Zhitnitsky

    We suggest a mechanism that may resolve a conflict raised by Link between the precession of a neutron star and the standard picture in which its core is composed of a mixture of a neutron superfluid and a type-II proton superconductor. We will show that if there is a persistent, non-dissipating current running along the magnetic flux tubes, the force between magnetic flux tubes may be attractive, resulting in a type-I, rather than a type-II, superconductor. If this is the case, the conflict between the observed precession and the canonical estimation of the Landau-Ginzburg parameter (which suggests type II behaviour) will be automatically resolved. Such a current arises in some condensed matter systems and may also appear in QCD dense matter as a consequence of quantum anomalies. We calculate the interaction between two vortices carrying a current j and find a constraint on the magnitude of j where a superconductor is always type-I, even when the cannonical Landau-Ginzburg parameter indicates type-II behaviour. If this condition is met, the magnetic field is expelled from the superconducting regions of the neutron star leading to the formation of the intermediate state where alternating domains of superconducting matter and normal matter coexist. We further argue that even when the induced current is small the vortex Abrikosov lattice will nevertheless be destroyed due to the helical instability studied previously in many condensed matter systems. This would also resolve the apparent contradiction with the precession of the neutron stars. We also discuss some instances where anomalous induced current may play a crucial role, such as the neutron star kicks, pulsar glitches and the toroidal magnetic field.