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Observations of quantized vorticity generated in superfluid /sup 4/He flow through 2-. mu. m-diameter orifices

Journal Article · · J. Low Temp. Phys.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00114997· OSTI ID:6362885
A beam of charged vortex rings is used to study the voricity present down-stream from an array of 2-..mu..m-diameter orifices through which a steady flow of superfluid /sup 4/He is driven at known velocity and pressure head ..delta..p. From the measured attentuation of the beam at low ..delta..p, we infer a density of vortex line less than predicted by the Feynman critical velocity model. Possible explanations are considered. We find evidence that an interconnected tangle of vortices is formed above a certain value of ..delta..p, which is in reasonable agreement with theory, at least for one orifice plate. Charge transfer and transient attenuation measurements indicate that this tangle decays in part into small vortex rings. These results are compared with an earlier experiment of Gamota.
Research Organization:
Department of Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
OSTI ID:
6362885
Journal Information:
J. Low Temp. Phys.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Low Temp. Phys.; (United States) Vol. 33:3; ISSN JLTPA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English