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Sound emission due to superfluid vortex reconnections
M Leadbeater1, T Winiecki, D C Samuels
1Department of Physics, University of Durham, United Kingdom.
Physical Review Letters
|April 6, 2001
Summary
Superfluid vortex reconnections release sound energy, quantified by numerical simulations. The radiated energy depends on the reconnection angle and is emitted as sound pulses.
Area of Science:
- * Quantum fluid dynamics
- * Superfluidity
- * Vortex dynamics
Background:
- * Superfluidity is a state of matter characterized by zero viscosity.
- * Vortex reconnections are key events in superfluid dynamics, releasing energy.
- * Understanding energy dissipation mechanisms in superfluids is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To quantitatively measure the sound energy released during superfluid vortex reconnections.
- * To establish a relationship between radiated energy and vortex line length loss.
- * To analyze the spatial and temporal characteristics of the emitted sound radiation.
Main Methods:
- * Numerical simulations using the Gross-Pitaevskii equation.
- * Direct quantitative measurements of sound energy.
- * Analysis of vortex line length and reconnection angles.
Main Results:
- * Sound energy released is a simple function of the reconnection angle and lost vortex line length.
- * Energy is emitted in the form of sound pulses.
- * The emitted sound pulses have a characteristic wavelength of a few healing lengths.
Conclusions:
- * Vortex reconnections are a significant source of acoustic radiation in superfluids.
- * The reconnection angle is a key parameter determining the radiated sound energy.
- * The findings provide insights into energy dissipation mechanisms in quantum fluids.