Controlled vortex-sound interactions in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates

TL;DR

This paper investigates how vortex precession in a Bose-Einstein condensate causes controllable sound emission, with the potential to stabilize vortices by adjusting trap parameters, revealing new insights into vortex-sound interactions.

Contribution

It provides a quantitative analysis of vortex-induced sound emission and demonstrates control over sound reabsorption to stabilize vortices in BECs.

Findings

Sound emission depends on vortex acceleration and trap depth.

Deep dimples enable periodic sound reabsorption, stabilizing vortices.

Emission power scales with vortex acceleration squared in shallow traps.

Abstract

The low temperature dynamics of a vortex in a trapped quasi-two-dimensional Bose-Einstein condensate are studied quantitatively. Precession of an off-centred vortex in a dimple trap, embedded in a weaker harmonic trap, leads to the emission of sound in a dipolar radiation pattern. Sound emission and reabsorption can be controlled by varying the depth of the dimple. In a shallow dimple, the power emitted is proportional to the vortex acceleration squared over the precession frequency, whereas for a deep dimple, periodic sound reabsorption stabilises the vortex against radiation-induced decay.