The distorted axi-planar superfluid phase of $^3$He in the "nematically ordered" aerogel

Abstract: Stimulated by the results of NMR experiments with superfluid $^3$He in "nematically ordered" aerogel [1] we report on the results of phenomenological analysis of stability of different phases of superfluid $^3$He subjected to a strong homogeneous uniaxial anisotropy. On a basis of this analysis we suggest a form of the order parameter for the new ESP2 phase observed in the quoted experiments. In the weak coupling limit the suggested order parameter approaches that of the axi-planar phase. We discuss a possible experimental check of the proposed identification of the new phase.