Von K\'arm\'an vortex street in a Bose-Einstein condensate

TL;DR

This paper investigates vortex shedding in a Bose-Einstein condensate, revealing the formation of von Kármán vortex streets and analyzing various shedding patterns and drag forces, with potential for experimental observation.

Contribution

It demonstrates the formation of von Kármán vortex streets in a quantum fluid and systematically studies vortex patterns and drag forces in trapped Bose-Einstein condensates.

Findings

Formation of long-lived vortex pairs in wake

Identification of vortex shedding patterns

Calculation of drag force on obstacle

Abstract

Vortex shedding from an obstacle potential moving in a Bose-Einstein condensate is investigated. Long-lived alternately aligned vortex pairs are found to form in the wake, as for the von K\'arm\'an vortex street in classical viscous fluids. Various patterns of vortex shedding are systematically studied and the drag force on the obstacle is calculated. It is shown that the phenomenon can be observed in a trapped system.