Subsonic critical velocity of a Bose-Einstein condensate at finite temperature
Patrick Navez, Robert Graham
Based on the dielectric formalism in the generalized random phase approximation, we generalize the description of a Bose-Einstein condensed gas to allow for a relative velocity between the superfluid and normal fluid. In this model, we determine the critical velocity dynamically as the transition point between stable and unstable dynamics. Unlike the zero temperature case, at finite temperature the relative critical velocity of a dilute Bose-Einstein gas is lower than the sound velocity. The requirement of Galilean invariance essential to obtain an invariant result necessitates the use of a gapless and conserving approximation.
Physical Review A•Apr 19, 2006•11 citations