Vortex formation and annihilation in rotating superfluid 3He-B at low temperatures

V. B. Eltsov, R. de Graaf, P. J. Heikkinen, J. J. Hosio, R. Hänninen, M. Krusius

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

In superfluid 3He-B the damping of vortex motion varies many orders of magnitude in the currently accessible temperature range from Tc to below 0.2Tc. The large variation in the dynamics switches on sequentially different processes of vortex formation as a function of temperature. These can be examined in a smooth-walled rotating cylinder in the absence of surface pinning. We provide an overview of vortex formation in spin-up and of annihilation in spin-down measurements at temperatures below the hydrodynamic transition at 0.6Tc where turbulence in the bulk volume becomes possible. Of central current interest are the very lowest temperatures at 0.2Tc where the dynamic processes reflect on the properties of the T→0 limit.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)474-508
Number of pages35
JournalJournal of Low Temperature Physics
Volume161
Issue number5-6
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 23 Oct 2010
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Laminar/turbulent vortex flow
  • Mutual friction
  • Quantum turbulence
  • Superfluid spin up/spin down
  • Transition to turbulence
  • Vortex dynamics
  • Vortex instability

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