Date Published: November 24, 2014
Brian P. Anderson's Quantum Gases Group uses laser light to cool gases of rubidium atoms to a few billionths of a degree above absolute zero. These atomic fluid droplets, called Bose-Einstein condensates, follow the laws of quantum physics and serve as valuable tools for exploring fundamental physics topics such as quantum turbulence, the primary concern of the Anderson group. BEC turbulence is indicated by the motion of vortices, microscopic holes that identify fluid circulation like the eyes of tiny hurricanes. New regimes of quantum fluid dynamics and quantum turbulence can be discovered by watching how these vortices move and interact.
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Vortices showing quantum turbulence in a BEC.