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Is the Reynolds number infinite in superfluid turbulence?

Lookup NU author(s): Professor Carlo Barenghi

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Abstract

Superfluidity, the hallmark property of quantum fluids (e.g. liquid helium, atomic Bose-Einstein condensates, neutron stars), is characterised by the absence of viscosity. At temperatures which are low enough that thermal excitations can be neglected, liquid helium can be considered a perfect superfluid, and one would expect that superfluid turbulence were dissipationless because the Reynolds number is infinite. On the contrary, experiments show that helium turbulence decays, even at these low temperatures. The solution of this apparent puzzle lies in subtle but crucial differences between a superfluid and a classical Euler fluid. © 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Barenghi CF

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena

Year: 2008

Volume: 237

Issue: 14-17

Pages: 2195-2202

ISSN (print): 0167-2789

ISSN (electronic): 1872-8022

Publisher: Elsevier BV

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.physd.2008.01.010

DOI: 10.1016/j.physd.2008.01.010

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