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Critical velocity for a self-sustaining vortex tangle in superfluid helium

Journal Article · · Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States)
A recent treatment of superfluid turbulence is extended to the study of turbulence in a channel. It is found that as the flow velocity is reduced, a critical velocity is reached such that the rate at which new vortex singularities are created by line-line reconnections becomes insufficient to balance the loss of vortices at the channel walls, and the vortex tangle ceases to be topologically self-sustaining. Comparison with experiment indicates that this approach provides a reasonable explanation of observed critical velocities.
Research Organization:
IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center, Yorktown Heights, New York 10598
OSTI ID:
6237946
Journal Information:
Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 50:5; ISSN PRLTA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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