Bose-Einstein condensation and superfluid turbulence

Tyler W. Neely, E. Carlo Samson, Ashton S. Bradley +2 more

Makoto Tsubota

This article reviews recent developments in quantum fluid dynamics and quantum turbulence (QT) for superfluid helium and atomic Bose–Einstein condensates. Quantum turbulence was discovered in superfluid 4He in the 1950s, but the field moved in a new direction starting around the mid-1990s. Quantum turbulence is comprised of quantised vortices that are definite topological defects arising from the order parameter appearing in Bose–Einstein condensation. Hence, QT is expected to yield a simpler model of turbulence than does conventional turbulence. A general introduction to this issue and a brief review of the basic concepts are followed by a description of vortex lattice formation in a rotating atomic Bose–Einstein condensate, typical of quantum fluid dynamics. Then we discuss recent developments in QT of superfluid helium such as the energy spectra and dissipative mechanisms at low temperatures, QT created by vibrating structures, and the visualisation of QT. As an application of these ideas, we end with a discussion of QT in atomic Bose–Einstein condensates.

Malek Abid, Cristián Huepe, Stéphane Métens +4 more

The Gross–Pitaevskii equation, also called the nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE), describes the dynamics of low-temperature superflows and Bose–Einstein Condensates (BEC). We review some of our recent NLSE-based numerical studies of superfluid turbulence and BEC stability. The relations with experiments are discussed.

Nick P. Proukakis

Matthew J. Davis, Tod M. Wright, Tapio Simula +2 more

Dilute gas Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) are an example of a superfluid, and exhibit many of the same phenomena as the strongly interacting superfluid helium. However, their isolation from the environment combined with their inhomogeneous density profiles make it difficult to observe some phenomena, such as the thermo-mechanical effect, in experiments. Here we perform dynamical simulations of a finite temperature Bose-Einstein condensate coupled to spatially separated heat and particle reservoirs to observe such non-equilibrium superfluid phenomena. We analyse the resulting steady-state non-equilibrium flows in the BEC, and consider the prospect of observing sustained superfluid turbulence.

Sergey Nazarenko, Miguel Onorato