Dynamical Instability of a Doubly Quantized Vortex in a Bose-Einstein condensate

TL;DR

This study investigates the dynamical instability of doubly quantized vortices in Bose-Einstein condensates, observing their decay into singly quantized vortices and how this process depends on atom density.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence of the decay process of doubly quantized vortices and links the instability to atom density in Bose-Einstein condensates.

Findings

Doubly quantized vortices decay into singly quantized vortices.

Decay time increases with higher atom density.

Decay characterized using tomographic imaging.

Abstract

Doubly quantized vortices were topologically imprinted in $|F=1>$ $^{23}$Na condensates, and their time evolution was observed using a tomographic imaging technique. The decay into two singly quantized vortices was characterized and attributed to dynamical instability. The time scale of the splitting process was found to be longer at higher atom density.