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Physical Review Letters

Creation of Quantized Vortex Rings in Superfluid Helium

George Gamota

Published Aug 20, 1973• 33 citations
Publisher

Abstract

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 $n=1$ quantum state.

DOI
10.1103/physrevlett.31.517

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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.
An oscillating object can stretch quantized vortices attached to it in superfluids due to the relative superflow, steadily generating quantum turbulence, even in the zero-temperature limit. We report the emission and propagation of quantized vortices from quantum turbulence generated in superfluid 4{}^{4}4He at low temperatures. A vortex-free vibrating wire enables us to detect the first collision of vortex rings and therefore to measure the time-of-flight of a vortex emitted from a generator to a detector. The detection times from the start of turbulence generation exhibit an exponential distribution, suggesting that the detection is a Poisson process. Vortices are emitted continuously, but each vortex has a random flight velocity and direction. We estimated the nondetection time and mean detection period from the distribution for two flight distances. By estimating the flight velocity, we find that only vortices with velocities lower than the detector velocity can be detected, even if the sizes of the emitted vortices are smaller than the wire thickness or the vibration amplitude. The ratio of the detection rate as a function of vortex velocity suggests anisotropic emission of vortices from the quantum turbulence.
Recent experiments on quantum turbulence in superfluid helium made use of small tracer particles to track the motion of quantized vortices, determine velocity statistics and visualize vortex reconnections. A problem with this visualization technique is that it may change the turbulent flow which it visualizes. To address this problem, we derive and solve the equations of motion of a quantized vortex ring which contains a given number of particles trapped on the vortex core, hence derive a quantitative criterion to determine in which measure small particles trapped in quantized vortices affect vortex motion. Finally we apply the criterion to a recent experiment.
We numerically model experiments in which large-scale vortex rings---bundles of quantized vortex loops---are created in superfluid helium by a piston-cylinder arrangement. We show that the presence of a normal-fluid vortex ring together with the quantized vortices is essential to explain the coherence of these large-scale vortex structures at nonzero temperatures, as observed experimentally. Finally we argue that the interaction of superfluid and normal-fluid vortex bundles is relevant to recent investigations of superfluid turbulence.
The motion of quantized vortices is responsible for many intriguing phenomena in diverse quantum-fluid systems. Having a theoretical model to reliably predict the vortex motion therefore promises a broad significance. But a grand challenge in developing such a model is to evaluate the dissipative force caused by thermal quasiparticles in the quantum fluids scattering off the vortex cores. Various models have been proposed, but it remains unclear which model describes reality due to the lack of comparative experimental data. Here we report a visualization study of quantized vortex rings propagating in superfluid helium. By examining how the vortex rings spontaneously decay, we provide decisive data to identify the model that best reproduces observations. This study helps to eliminate ambiguities about the dissipative force acting on vortices, which could have implications for research in various quantum-fluid systems that also involve similar forces, such as superfluid neutron stars and gravity-mapped holographic superfluids.
We numerically model experiments in which large-scale vortex rings-bundles of quantized vortex loops-are created in superfluid helium by a piston-cylinder arrangement. We show that the presence of a normal-fluid vortex ring together with the quantized vortices is essential to explain the coherence of these large-scale vortex structures at nonzero temperatures, as observed experimentally. Finally we argue that the interaction of superfluid and normal-fluid vortex bundles is relevant to recent investigations of superfluid turbulence.