Superfluid turbulence in counterflowing helium II

Thesis/Dissertation · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:7049169

Wang, R T.H.

Superfluid turbulence in counterflowing He II has long been considered to be a tangle of quantized vortex lines. This study is an exploration of the tangle of quantized vortices. A simultaneous survey of temperature gradients, axial second sound attenuation, and transverse second sound attenuation produced by counterflow with helium bath temperatures from 1.27 to 2.10 K, is reported. From these measurements and the use of vortex dynamics, the total line density, anisotropy, and average induced drift of the vortex tangle is calculated. A much higher probability is found for vortex lines in the tangle to be transverse to the flow than along the flow. It was also found that, at least below 2.1 K, the vortex tangle drifts with the superfluid toward the heater. For a further investigation, the velocity of second sound is helium II under its saturated vapor pressure was measured in an acoustic resonator with a typical precision of 0.07% and was found to agree with existing measurements within their states uncertainties.

• Research Organization: Oregon Univ., Eugene (USA)
• OSTI ID: 7049169
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640450* -- Fluid Physics-- Superfluidity
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ATTENUATION
EVEN-EVEN NUCLEI
FLUIDS
HELIUM 4
HELIUM II
HELIUM ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
LIGHT NUCLEI
NUCLEI
QUANTIZATION
QUANTUM FLUIDS
SECOND SOUND
STABLE ISOTOPES
SUPERFLUIDITY
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
TURBULENCE
VELOCITY
VORTICES