The stability of nonlinear waves on curved surfaces is a problem of widespread interest across physics. Here, we establish the stability criteria for dark solitons on a spherical Bose-Einstein condensate. We demonstrate a sharp instability threshold in the nonlinear parameter, beyond which solitons decay into vortex dipoles via snake instabilities. Analytically and numerically, we prove this decay is dictated by a single unstable mode for each angular momentum $m \geq 2$ , which is a universal mechanism that controls the resulting vortex state. Unlike in the full three-dimensional case, where snake instabilities lead to vortex rings, a dark soliton confined to the surface of a bubble can only decay into vortex pairs.The stability of nonlinear waves on curved surfaces is a problem of widespread interest across physics. Here, we establish the stability criteria for dark solitons on a spherical Bose-Einstein condensate. We demonstrate a sharp instability threshold in the nonlinear parameter, beyond which solitons decay into vortex dipoles via snake instabilities. Analytically and numerically, we prove this decay is dictated by a single unstable mode for each angular momentum $m \geq 2$, which is a universal mechanism that controls the resulting vortex state. Unlike in the full three-dimensional case, where snake instabilities lead to vortex rings, a dark soliton confined to the surface of a bubble can only decay into vortex pairs.

arXiv:2511.04385Physical Review AMar 16, 20260 citations

Solitonic vortices in Bose–Einstein condensates

Marek Tylutki, Simone Donadello, Simone Serafini +4 more

arXiv:1410.5475The European Physical Journal Special TopicsApr 1, 201518 citations

Rossby–Haurwitz Wave in a Rotating Bubble-Shaped Bose–Einstein Condensate

Hiroki Saito, Masazumi Hayashi

A Rossby-Haurwitz (RH) wave is an excitation mode of a fluid on a rotating spherical surface, which propagates westward in the rotating frame of reference. Motivated by the recent realization of the shell-shaped Bose-Einstein condensate in microgravity, we investigate the RH wave in a superfluid rotating on a spherical-surface geometry. We employ the point-vortex model and the three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation, and numerically demonstrate that RH waves can be observed in the system of a superfluid with quantized vortices.A Rossby-Haurwitz (RH) wave is an excitation mode of a fluid on a rotating spherical surface, which propagates westward in the rotating frame of reference. Motivated by the recent realization of the shell-shaped Bose-Einstein condensate in microgravity, we investigate the RH wave in a superfluid rotating on a spherical-surface geometry. We employ the point-vortex model and the three-dimensional Gross-Pitaevskii equation, and numerically demonstrate that RH waves can be observed in the system of a superfluid with quantized vortices.

arXiv:2212.08782Journal of the Physical Society of JapanMar 12, 202311 citations

Three-dimensional solitons and vortices in dipolar Bose–Einstein condensates

Yu. Zaliznyak, A. I. Yakimenko

arXiv:0708.2355Physics Letters AJan 14, 200817 citations

m \geq 2

, which is a universal mechanism that controls the resulting vortex state. Unlike in the full three-dimensional case, where snake instabilities lead to vortex rings, a dark soliton confined to the surface of a bubble can only decay into vortex pairs.