Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Log inSign up
Challenges
Datasets
Workspaces
Papers
Discussions
Leaderboard
Blog
Job Board
Q3AS

© 2026 Aqora Quantum S.A.S.

TermsPrivacyLegal Notice

Shock Waves in a Bose-Einstein Condensate

Igor K. Kulikov, Michail A. Zak

Published Jun 1, 2005• 0 citations
OpenAlex

Abstract

A paper presents a theoretical study of shock waves in a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The mathematical model of the BEC in this study is a nonlinear Schroedinger equation (NLSE) in which (1) the role of the wave function of a single particle in the traditional Schroedinger equation is played by a space- and time-dependent complex order parameter (x,t) proportional to the square root of the density of atoms and (2) the atoms engage in a repulsive interaction characterized by a potential proportional to | (x,t)|2. Equations that describe macroscopic perturbations of the BEC at zero temperature are derived from the NLSE and simplifying assumptions are made, leading to equations for the propagation of sound waves and the transformation of sound waves into shock waves. Equations for the speeds of shock waves and the relationships between jumps of velocity and density across shock fronts are derived. Similarities and differences between this theory and the classical theory of sound waves and shocks in ordinary gases are noted. The present theory is illustrated by solving the equations for the example of a shock wave propagating in a cigar-shaped BEC.

Related papers

Shock waves in a Bose-Einstein condensate

Igor K. Kulikov, Michail A. Zak

A theoretical possibility of shock wave formation in a high-density Bose-Einstein condensate with strong repulsive interaction is reported. A mechanism of transformation of sound waves into shock waves is described. The speed of shock waves as well as relationships between jumps of velocity and density at the front of the surface of discontinuity are derived. The theory is illustrated by the analytical solution for shock wave propagation in a dense condensate cloud.

Physical Review A•Jun 18, 2003•18 citations

Subsonic and Supersonic Effects in Bose-Einstein Condensate

Michail A. Zak

A paper presents a theoretical investigation of subsonic and supersonic effects in a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The BEC is represented by a time-dependent, nonlinear Schroedinger equation that includes terms for an external confining potential term and a weak interatomic repulsive potential proportional to the number density of atoms. From this model are derived Madelung equations, which relate the quantum phase with the number density, and which are used to represent excitations propagating through the BEC. These equations are shown to be analogous to the classical equations of flow of an inviscid, compressible fluid characterized by a speed of sound (g/Po)1/2, where g is the coefficient of the repulsive potential and Po is the unperturbed mass density of the BEC. The equations are used to study the effects of a region of perturbation moving through the BEC. The excitations created by a perturbation moving at subsonic speed are found to be described by a Laplace equation and to propagate at infinite speed. For a supersonically moving perturbation, the excitations are found to be described by a wave equation and to propagate at finite speed inside a Mach cone.

•Feb 1, 2003•0 citations

Formation of shock waves in a Bose-Einstein condensate

Bogdan Damski

We consider propagation of density wave packets in a Bose-Einstein condensate. We show that the shape of initially broad, laser-induced, density perturbation changes in the course of free time evolution so that a shock wave front finally forms. Our results are well beyond predictions of commonly used zero-amplitude approach, so they can be useful in extraction of a speed of sound from experimental data. We discuss a simple experimental setup for shock propagation and point out possible limitations of the mean-field approach for description of shock phenomena in a Bose-Einstein condensate.

arXiv:cond-mat/0309421•Physical Review A•Apr 16, 2004•107 citations

Dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates in cigar-shaped traps

A. M. Kamchatnov, V. S. Shchesnovich

The Gross-Pitaevskii equation for a Bose-Einstein condensate confined in an elongated cigar-shaped trap is reduced to an effective system of nonlinear equations depending on only one space coordinate along the trap axis. The radial distribution of the condensate density and its radial velocity are approximated by Gaussian functions with real and imaginary exponents, respectively, with parameters depending on the axial coordinate and time. The effective one-dimensional system is applied to a description of the ground state of the condensate, to dark and bright solitons, to the sound and radial compression waves propagating in a dense condensate, and to weakly nonlinear waves in repulsive condensate. In the low-density limit our results reproduce the known formulas. In the high-density case our description of solitons goes beyond the standard approach based on the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation. The dispersion relations for the sound and radial compression waves are obtained in a wide region of values of the condensate density. The Korteweg--de Vries equation for weakly nonlinear waves is derived and the existence of bright solitons on a constant background is predicted for a dense enough condensate with a repulsive interaction between the atoms.

arXiv:cond-mat/0404326•Physical Review A•Aug 1, 2004•48 citations

Chaotic shock waves of a Bose-Einstein condensate

Wenhua Hai, Qianquan Zhu, Shiguang Rong

It is demonstrated that the well-known Smale-horseshoe chaos exists in the time evolution of the one-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) driven by the time-periodic harmonic or inverted-harmonic potential. A formally exact solution of the time-dependent Gross-Pitaevskii equation is constructed, which describes the matter shock waves with chaotic or periodic amplitudes and phases. When the periodic driving is switched off and the number of condensed atoms is conserved, we obtained the exact stationary states and nonstationary states. The former contains the stable ``nonpropagated'' shock wave, and in the latter the shock wave alternately collapses and grows for the harmonic trapping or propagates with exponentially increased shock-front speed for the antitrapping. It is revealed that the existence of chaos plays a role for suppressing the blast of matter wave. The results suggest a method for preparing the exponentially accelerated BEC shock waves or the stable stationary states.

arXiv:0806.3806•Physical Review A•Feb 3, 2009•23 citations

Quenched solitons and shock waves in Bose-Einstein condensates

Rui-yu Jia, Ping-Ping Fang, Chao Gao +1 more

The Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) formed by ultracold atomic gases provides an ideal platform for studying various quantum phenomena. In this platform, researchers have explored in depth the important equilibrium and steady phenomena including superfluidity, vortices, and solitons, and recently started to study nonequilibrium problems. In a classical system, nonequilibrium problems, such as explosion, usually occur together with shock waves, which is presented when the explosion speed is larger than the local sound speed. For BEC systems which possess quantum properties, how to produce and understand the shock waves becomes a hot research topic. In this work, we systematically discuss the possibility of quantum shock wave and its essential mechanism in a one-dimensional BEC initially containing dark solitons through quenching interactions. When the system is quenched to the limit of non-interaction, we analytically obtain the post-quench dynamics of initially immobile dark solitons, and find the existence of shock wave, which can be explained through the quantum interference effect. When the system is quenched to finite interaction, we find similar phenomena through numerically solving the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, and analyze different situations. When the system is quenched to a finite weaker interaction, the situation is similar to a non-interaction case; when the system is quenched to a stronger interaction, the shock wave is accompanied by the splitting of the initial soliton, and the two objects can synchronously change; specifically when the quenched ratio of strength is an integer squared, the shock wave disappears, and the soliton is split perfectly. We further explore the properties of the shock wave including its amplitude and speed, and obtain the full scenario as the quenched interaction varies. This work provides theoretical guidance for realizing and measuring shock wave in experiment.

Acta Physica Sinica•Jan 1, 2021•5 citations
A paper presents a theoretical study of shock waves in a trapped Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The mathematical model of the BEC in this study is a nonlinear Schroedinger equation (NLSE) in which (1) the role of the wave function of a single particle in the traditional Schroedinger equation is played by a space- and time-dependent complex order parameter (x,t) proportional to the square root of the density of atoms and (2) the atoms engage in a repulsive interaction characterized by a potential proportional to | (x,t)|2. Equations that describe macroscopic perturbations of the BEC at zero temperature are derived from the NLSE and simplifying assumptions are made, leading to equations for the propagation of sound waves and the transformation of sound waves into shock waves. Equations for the speeds of shock waves and the relationships between jumps of velocity and density across shock fronts are derived. Similarities and differences between this theory and the classical theory of sound waves and shocks in ordinary gases are noted. The present theory is illustrated by solving the equations for the example of a shock wave propagating in a cigar-shaped BEC.
A paper presents a theoretical investigation of subsonic and supersonic effects in a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). The BEC is represented by a time-dependent, nonlinear Schroedinger equation that includes terms for an external confining potential term and a weak interatomic repulsive potential proportional to the number density of atoms. From this model are derived Madelung equations, which relate the quantum phase with the number density, and which are used to represent excitations propagating through the BEC. These equations are shown to be analogous to the classical equations of flow of an inviscid, compressible fluid characterized by a speed of sound (g/Po)1/2, where g is the coefficient of the repulsive potential and Po is the unperturbed mass density of the BEC. The equations are used to study the effects of a region of perturbation moving through the BEC. The excitations created by a perturbation moving at subsonic speed are found to be described by a Laplace equation and to propagate at infinite speed. For a supersonically moving perturbation, the excitations are found to be described by a wave equation and to propagate at finite speed inside a Mach cone.
We consider propagation of density wave packets in a Bose-Einstein condensate. We show that the shape of initially broad, laser-induced, density perturbation changes in the course of free time evolution so that a shock wave front finally forms. Our results are well beyond predictions of commonly used zero-amplitude approach, so they can be useful in extraction of a speed of sound from experimental data. We discuss a simple experimental setup for shock propagation and point out possible limitations of the mean-field approach for description of shock phenomena in a Bose-Einstein condensate.
The Gross-Pitaevskii equation for a Bose-Einstein condensate confined in an elongated cigar-shaped trap is reduced to an effective system of nonlinear equations depending on only one space coordinate along the trap axis. The radial distribution of the condensate density and its radial velocity are approximated by Gaussian functions with real and imaginary exponents, respectively, with parameters depending on the axial coordinate and time. The effective one-dimensional system is applied to a description of the ground state of the condensate, to dark and bright solitons, to the sound and radial compression waves propagating in a dense condensate, and to weakly nonlinear waves in repulsive condensate. In the low-density limit our results reproduce the known formulas. In the high-density case our description of solitons goes beyond the standard approach based on the nonlinear Schr\"odinger equation. The dispersion relations for the sound and radial compression waves are obtained in a wide region of values of the condensate density. The Korteweg--de Vries equation for weakly nonlinear waves is derived and the existence of bright solitons on a constant background is predicted for a dense enough condensate with a repulsive interaction between the atoms.
It is demonstrated that the well-known Smale-horseshoe chaos exists in the time evolution of the one-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) driven by the time-periodic harmonic or inverted-harmonic potential. A formally exact solution of the time-dependent Gross-Pitaevskii equation is constructed, which describes the matter shock waves with chaotic or periodic amplitudes and phases. When the periodic driving is switched off and the number of condensed atoms is conserved, we obtained the exact stationary states and nonstationary states. The former contains the stable ``nonpropagated'' shock wave, and in the latter the shock wave alternately collapses and grows for the harmonic trapping or propagates with exponentially increased shock-front speed for the antitrapping. It is revealed that the existence of chaos plays a role for suppressing the blast of matter wave. The results suggest a method for preparing the exponentially accelerated BEC shock waves or the stable stationary states.
The Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) formed by ultracold atomic gases provides an ideal platform for studying various quantum phenomena. In this platform, researchers have explored in depth the important equilibrium and steady phenomena including superfluidity, vortices, and solitons, and recently started to study nonequilibrium problems. In a classical system, nonequilibrium problems, such as explosion, usually occur together with shock waves, which is presented when the explosion speed is larger than the local sound speed. For BEC systems which possess quantum properties, how to produce and understand the shock waves becomes a hot research topic. In this work, we systematically discuss the possibility of quantum shock wave and its essential mechanism in a one-dimensional BEC initially containing dark solitons through quenching interactions. When the system is quenched to the limit of non-interaction, we analytically obtain the post-quench dynamics of initially immobile dark solitons, and find the existence of shock wave, which can be explained through the quantum interference effect. When the system is quenched to finite interaction, we find similar phenomena through numerically solving the Gross-Pitaevskii equation, and analyze different situations. When the system is quenched to a finite weaker interaction, the situation is similar to a non-interaction case; when the system is quenched to a stronger interaction, the shock wave is accompanied by the splitting of the initial soliton, and the two objects can synchronously change; specifically when the quenched ratio of strength is an integer squared, the shock wave disappears, and the soliton is split perfectly. We further explore the properties of the shock wave including its amplitude and speed, and obtain the full scenario as the quenched interaction varies. This work provides theoretical guidance for realizing and measuring shock wave in experiment.