Formation of Dispersive Shock Waves by Merging and Splitting Bose-Einstein Condensates

Journal Article · Fri Oct 24 04:00:00 EDT 2008 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PHYSREVLETT.101.170404· OSTI ID:21179831

Chang, J J; Engels, P; Hoefer, M A ^[1]

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1. Washington State University, Department of Physics and Astronomy, Pullman, Washington, D.C. 99164 (United States)

The processes of merging and splitting dilute-gas Bose-Einstein condensates are studied in the nonadiabatic, high-density regime. Rich dynamics are found. Depending on the experimental parameters, uniform soliton trains containing more than ten solitons or the formation of a high-density bulge as well as dispersive shock waves are observed experimentally within merged BECs. Our numerical simulations indicate the formation of many vortex rings. In the case of splitting a BEC, the transition from sound-wave formation to dispersive shock-wave formation is studied by use of increasingly stronger splitting barriers. These experiments realize prototypical dispersive shock situations.

• OSTI ID: 21179831
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Journal Name: Physical Review Letters Journal Issue: 17 Vol. 101; ISSN 0031-9007; ISSN PRLTAO
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BOSE-EINSTEIN CONDENSATION
DENSITY
SHOCK WAVES
SIMULATION
SOLITONS
SOUND WAVES