Signatures of coherent vortex structures in a disordered two-dimensional quantum fluid

Matthew T. Reeves, Thomas P. Billam, Brian P. Anderson, Ashton S. Bradley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

The emergence of coherent rotating structures is a phenomenon characteristic of both classical and quantum two-dimensional (2D) turbulence. In this work we show theoretically that the coherent vortex structures that emerge in decaying 2D quantum turbulence can approach quasiclassical rigid-body rotation, obeying the Feynman rule of constant average areal vortex density while remaining spatially disordered. By developing a rigorous link between the velocity probability distribution and the quantum kinetic energy spectrum over wave number k, we show that the coherent vortex structures are associated with a k3 power law in the infrared region of the spectrum, and a well-defined spectral peak that is a physical manifestation of the largest structures. We discuss the possibility of realizing coherent structures in Bose-Einstein condensate experiments and present Gross-Pitaevskii simulations showing that this phenomenon, and its associated spectral signatures, can emerge dynamically from feasible initial vortex configurations.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number053631
JournalPhysical Review A - Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics
Volume89
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 30 2014

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Signatures of coherent vortex structures in a disordered two-dimensional quantum fluid'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this