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Physical Review

Charged-Vortex-Ring Creation by Ions in Superfluid Helium

S. Cunsolo, B. Maraviglia

Published Nov 5, 1969• 46 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The critical-threshold electric fields and the critical velocities for the formation of charged vortex rings have been measured at temperatures $0.35<T<1\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K. Below $T=0.85\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}$K, two different thresholds are shown to exist, connected with two different processes of formation. These two processes are found to be detectable only when a stability condition is satisfied.

DOI
10.1103/physrev.187.292

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Physical Review Letters•Apr 12, 1971•5 citations
The critical-threshold electric fields and the critical velocities for the formation of charged vortex rings have been measured at temperatures 0.35<T<1\ifmmode∘\else\textdegree\fi0.35<T<1\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}0.35<T<1\ifmmode∘\else\textdegree\fiK. Below T=0.85\ifmmode∘\else\textdegree\fiT=0.85\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}T=0.85\ifmmode∘\else\textdegree\fiK, two different thresholds are shown to exist, connected with two different processes of formation. These two processes are found to be detectable only when a stability condition is satisfied.
We describe an experiment which indicates that the addition of He3{\mathrm{He}}^{3}He3 impurities to superfluid helium has a pronounced effect on the velocity at which negative ions produce vorticity (vortex rings). The He3{\mathrm{He}}^{3}He3 impurities have no effect, however, on the creation of vorticity by positive ions.
We have produced and observed quantized vortex rings emitted from orifices when superfluid helium is forced through channels at critical velocity. The vortices are identified by measuring their velocity and size, and are found to be in the n=1n=1n=1 quantum state.
We show that an ion carried through an electric field by a quantized vortex ring in helium II will cause a symmetric change in the radius of the ring, even though the ion is located asymmetrically on the core of the vortex ring. The localized force on the ion will combine with a specific series of vortex waves to give a uniform growth of the ring with a small component of drift velocity perpendicular to the applied electric field. This type of energy transfer may also play an important role in superfluid turbulence. Our calculations should be valid for localized forces on thin-core classical vortices as well.
Measurements of the positive-ion velocity as a function of electric field in dilute solutions of 3He^{3}\mathrm{He}3He in 4He^{4}\mathrm{He}4He at 18 mK show a discontinuity which suggests the existence of two kinds of vortex rings in addition to the bare ion. The assignment of circulation quantum numbers is discussed.