Casimir-like force arising from quantum fluctuations in a slow-moving dilute Bose-Einstein condensate

TL;DR

This paper predicts a Casimir-like force caused by quantum fluctuations acting on an object in a moving superfluid Bose-Einstein condensate, existing at any flow velocity and affecting superfluid stability.

Contribution

It introduces a model for calculating quantum fluctuation-induced forces on objects in superfluid flow, revealing their presence at all flow velocities.

Findings

Force exists at any flow velocity

Force results from quantum fluctuations

Implications for superfluid flow stability

Abstract

We calculate a force due to zero-temperature quantum fluctuations on a stationary object in a moving superfluid flow. We model the object by a localized potential varying only in the flow direction and model the flow by a three-dimensional weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensate at zero temperature. We show that this force exists for any arbitrarily small flow velocity and discuss the implications for the stability of superfluid flow.