We explore the experimental implications of a recent theory of the quantum
dynamics of vortices in two-dimensional superfluids proximate to Mott
insulators. The theory predicts modulations in the local density of states in
the regions over which the vortices execute their quantum zero point motion. We
use the spatial extent of such modulations in scanning tunnelling microscopy
measurements on the vortex lattice of BSCCO to estimate the inertial mass of a
point vortex. We discuss other, more direct, experimental signatures of the
vortex dynamics.Comment: 24 pages, 5 figures; expanded version of cond-mat/0502002, with
details of calculation