Collision of rarefaction waves in Bose-Einstein condensates

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the complex dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates expanding from a box, focusing on the collision of rarefaction waves, using analytical and numerical methods to understand the process.

Contribution

It provides a complete analytical solution for rarefaction wave collision in Bose-Einstein condensates, comparing hydrodynamic approximation with numerical solutions of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation.

Findings

Analytical solution of rarefaction wave collision obtained

Comparison between hydrodynamic approximation and numerical results

Insights into condensate expansion dynamics

Abstract

We consider the problem of expansion of Bose-Einstein condensate released form a box. On the contrary to the standard situation of release from a harmonic trap, in this case the dynamics is complicated by a process of collision of two rarefaction waves propagating to the center of the initially uniform distribution. Complete analytical solution of this problem is obtained by Riemann method in hydrodynamic dispersionless approximation and the results are compared with the exact numerical solution of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation.