Towards Quantum Turbulence in Cold Atomic Fermionic Superfluids

Abstract

Fermionic superfluids provide a new realization of quantum turbulence, accessible to both experiment and theory, yet relevant to phenomena from both cold atoms to nuclear astrophysics. In particular, the strongly interacting Fermi gas realized in cold-atom experiments is closely related to dilute neutron matter in neutron star crusts. Unlike the liquid superfluids 4He (bosons) and 3He (fermions) where quantum turbulence has been studied in the laboratory, superfluid Fermi gases stand apart for a number of reasons. They admit a reliable theoretical description based on a DFT called the TDSLDA that describes both static and dynamic phenomena. Cold atom experiments demonstrate exquisite control over particle number, spin polarization, density, temperature, and interaction strength. Topological defects such as domain walls and quantized vortices, which lie at the heart of quantum turbulence, can be created and manipulated with time-dependent external potentials, and agree with the time-dependent theoretical techniques. While similar experimental and theoretical control exists for weakly interacting Bose gases, the unitary Fermi gas is strongly interacting. The resulting vortex line density is extremely high, and quantum turbulence may thus be realized in small systems where classical turbulence is suppressed. Fermi gases also permit the study of exotic superfluid phenomena such as a 3D LOFF supersolid, and a finite temperature pseudo-gap in the regime of classical turbulence. The dynamics associated with these phenomena has only started to be explored. Finally, superfluid mixtures have recently been realized, providing experimental access to phenomena like Andreev-Bashkin entrainment. Superfluid Fermi gases thus provide a rich forum for addressing phenomena related to quantum turbulence with applications ranging from terrestrial superfluidity to astrophysical dynamics in neutron stars.