Direct and reverse precession of a massive vortex in a binary Bose--Einstein condensate

TL;DR

This paper investigates the complex precession behavior of massive vortices in a phase-separated two-component Bose--Einstein condensate, revealing conditions for precession reversal through numerical and analytical methods.

Contribution

It introduces a new understanding of vortex precession dynamics in binary condensates, including the phenomenon of precession reversal at high vortex masses.

Findings

Precession of massive vortices can reverse direction with increased mass.

A simplified ODE model explains the precession behavior.

Precession is significantly slowed down in certain interaction regimes.

Abstract

The dynamics of a filled massive vortex is studied numerically and analytically using a two-dimensional model of a two-component Bose--Einstein condensate trapped in a harmonic trap. This condensate exhibits phase separation. In the framework of the coupled Gross--Pitaevskii equations, it is demonstrated that, in a certain range of parameters of the nonlinear interaction, the precession of a sufficiently massive vortex around the center is strongly slowed down and even reverses its direction with a further increase in the mass. An approximate ordinary differential equation is derived that makes it possible to explain this behavior of the system.