Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 18, 2026
11:21
Cooling an Optically Trapped Ultracold Fermi Gas by Periodical Driving
Published on: March 30, 2017
7.8K
Collapse of a Quantum Vortex in an Attractive Two-Dimensional Bose Gas
Sambit Banerjee1, Kai Zhou1, Shiva Kant Tiwari2
1Purdue University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, USA.
Physical Review Letters
|September 10, 2025
Summary
Researchers observed quantum vortex collapse in atomic superfluids, leading to the formation of vortex solitons. This study reveals self-similar dynamics and fragmentation into solitonlike wave packets, with potential beyond mean-field effects.
Area of Science:
- Quantum physics
- Atomic physics
- Condensed matter physics
Background:
- Quantum vortices are fundamental excitations in superfluids.
- Understanding vortex dynamics is crucial for superfluid behavior.
- Fast interaction changes can drive novel quantum phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the collapse dynamics of a quantum vortex in a 2D atomic superfluid.
- To identify conditions and timescales for vortex collapse and soliton formation.
- To explore emergent dynamics and fragmentation patterns.
Main Methods:
- Experimental study of a two-dimensional atomic superfluid.
- Numerical simulations using the Gross-Pitaevskii equation.
- Fast interaction ramp from repulsion to attraction.
Main Results:
- Observed radial convergence of a superfluid vortex into a quasistationary profile.
- Demonstrated spontaneous formation of vortex solitonlike structures.
- Recorded emergent self-similar dynamics due to azimuthal modulational instability, leading to fragmentation into solitonlike wave packets.
- Qualitative agreement with Gross-Pitaevskii equation simulations.
- Discrepancy in density fluctuations suggests beyond mean-field effects.
Conclusions:
- Quantum vortex collapse can lead to the formation of solitonlike structures in atomic Bose gases.
- Azimuthal modulational instability drives self-similar dynamics and fragmentation.
- Mean-field theory captures essential dynamics but may miss crucial quantum effects.
- The study provides a foundation for exploring out-of-equilibrium dynamics of quantum matter.
Related Concept Videos
01:18First Law: Particles in Two-dimensional Equilibrium
14.0K
Recall that a particle in equilibrium is one for which the external forces are balanced. Static equilibrium involves objects at rest, and dynamic equilibrium involves objects in motion without acceleration; but it is important to remember that these conditions are relative. For instance, an object may be at rest when viewed from one frame of reference, but that same object would appear to be in motion when viewed by someone moving at a constant velocity.
Newton's first law tells us about...
Newton's first law tells us about...
14.0K
01:12Kinetic Theory of an Ideal Gas
4.6K
A mole is defined as the amount of any substance that contains as many molecules as there are atoms in exactly 12 grams of carbon-12. An Italian scientist Amedeo Avogadro (1776–1856) formed the hypothesis that equal volumes of gas at equal pressure and temperature contain equal numbers of molecules, independent of the type of gas. Later, the hypothesis was developed to form the SI unit for measuring the amount of any substance.
The number of molecules in one mole is called...
The number of molecules in one mole is called...
4.6K
01:10First Law: Particles in One-dimensional Equilibrium
7.9K
Newton's first law of motion states that a body at rest remains at rest, or if in motion, remains in motion at constant velocity, unless acted on by a net external force. It also states that there must be a cause for any change in velocity (a change in either magnitude or direction) to occur. This cause is a net external force. For example, consider what happens to an object sliding along a rough horizontal surface. The object quickly grinds to a halt, due to the net force of friction. If...
7.9K
04:01Real Gases: Effects of Intermolecular Forces and Molecular Volume Deriving Van der Waals Equation
38.8K
Thus far, the ideal gas law, PV = nRT, has been applied to a variety of different types of problems, ranging from reaction stoichiometry and empirical and molecular formula problems to determining the density and molar mass of a gas. However, the behavior of a gas is often non-ideal, meaning that the observed relationships between its pressure, volume, and temperature are not accurately described by the gas laws.
38.8K
01:10Van der Waals Equation
6.2K
The ideal gas law is an approximation that works well at high temperatures and low pressures. The van der Waals equation of state (named after the Dutch physicist Johannes van der Waals, 1837−1923) improves it by considering two factors.
First, the attractive forces between molecules, which are stronger at higher densities and reduce the pressure, are considered by adding to the pressure a term equal to the square of the molar density multiplied by a positive coefficient a. Second, the volume...
First, the attractive forces between molecules, which are stronger at higher densities and reduce the pressure, are considered by adding to the pressure a term equal to the square of the molar density multiplied by a positive coefficient a. Second, the volume...
6.2K
02:45The Quantum-Mechanical Model of an Atom
56.6K
Shortly after de Broglie published his ideas that the electron in a hydrogen atom could be better thought of as being a circular standing wave instead of a particle moving in quantized circular orbits, Erwin Schrödinger extended de Broglie’s work by deriving what is now known as the Schrödinger equation. When Schrödinger applied his equation to hydrogen-like atoms, he was able to reproduce Bohr’s expression for the energy and, thus, the Rydberg formula governing hydrogen spectra.
56.6K