Transition from Ekman flow to Taylor vortex flow in superfluid helium

By numerically computing the steady axisymmetric flow of helium II confined inside a finite aspect ratio Couette annulus, we determine the transition from Ekman flow to Taylor vortex flow as a function of temperature and aspect ratio.We find that the low-Reynolds number flow is quite different to that of a classical fluid, particularly at lower temperatures.At high aspect ratio our results confirm the existing linear stability theory of the onset of Taylor vortices, which assumes infinitely long cylinders.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figures; submitte

Polarization of superfluid turbulence

We show that normal fluid eddies in turbulent helium II polarize the tangle of quantized vortex lines present in the flow, thus inducing superfluid vorticity patterns similar to the driving normal fluid eddies. We also show that the polarization is effective over the entire inertial range. The results help explain the surprising analogies between classical and superfluid turbulence which have been observed recently.Comment: 3 figure

Turbulent superfluid profiles in a counterflow channel

We have developed a two-dimensional model of quantised vortices in helium II moving under the influence of applied normal fluid and superfluid in a counterflow channel. We predict superfluid and vortex-line density profiles which could be experimentally tested using recently developed visualization techniques.Comment: 3 double figures, 9 page

Vortex Waves in a Cloud of Bose Einstein - Condensed, Trapped Alkali - Metal Atoms

We consider the vortex state solution for a rotating cloud of trapped, Bose Einstein - condensed alkali atoms and study finite temperature effects. We find that thermally excited vortex waves can distort the vortex state significantly, even at the very low temperatures relevant to the experiments.Comment: to appear in Phys. Rev.

Quantum turbulence at finite temperature: the two-fluids cascade

To model isotropic homogeneous quantum turbulence in superfluid helium, we have performed Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) of two fluids (the normal fluid and the superfluid) coupled by mutual friction. We have found evidence of strong locking of superfluid and normal fluid along the turbulent cascade, from the large scale structures where only one fluid is forced down to the vorticity structures at small scales. We have determined the residual slip velocity between the two fluids, and, for each fluid, the relative balance of inertial, viscous and friction forces along the scales. Our calculations show that the classical relation between energy injection and dissipation scale is not valid in quantum turbulence, but we have been able to derive a temperature--dependent superfluid analogous relation. Finally, we discuss our DNS results in terms of the current understanding of quantum turbulence, including the value of the effective kinematic viscosity

Evaporation of a packet of quantized vorticity

A recent experiment has confirmed the existence of quantized turbulence in superfluid He3-B and suggested that turbulence is inhomogenous and spreads away from the region around the vibrating wire where it is created. To interpret the experiment we study numerically the diffusion of a packet of quantized vortex lines which is initially confined inside a small region of space. We find that reconnections fragment the packet into a gas of small vortex loops which fly away. We determine the time scale of the process and find that it is in order of magnitude agreement with the experiment.Comment: figure 1a,b,c and d, figure2, figure