The microscopic structure of an isolated vortex line in superfluid neutron matter is studied by solving the Bogoliubov–de Gennes equations. Our study, which is a starting point for the microscopic, quantum-mechanical calculation of pinning forces in neutron stars, shows that the size of the vortex core varies differently with the density and pairing potential than that assumed in earlier calculations of vortex pinning in neutron star crusts. The implications of this result are discussed.

• Received 15 September 1998

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.82.1815