We discuss the hysteretic behavior of the field-induced variations of the microwave surface resistance in superconductors in the critical state. Measurements have been performed in a bulk sample of Nb and a powdered one at different values of the temperature. We discuss a model, based on the...

The effect of topological excitations in the form of small size (r ≪ξ(T)) vortex rings on thermodynamics of a bulk superconductor is considered. These specific short wavelength fluctuations of the order parameter are analogous to small vortex-antivortex pairs in superconducting film which...