Vortex Lattice Inhomogeneity in Spatially Inhomogeneous Superfluids
Abstract
A trapped degenerate Bose gase exhibits superfluidity with spatially nonuniform superfluid density. We show that the vortex distribution in such a highly inhomogeneous rotating superfluid is nevertheless nearly uniform. The inhomogeneity in vortex density, which vanishes in the rapid-rotation limit, is driven by the discrete way vortices impart angular momentum to the superfluid. This effect favors highest vortex density in regions where the superfluid density is most uniform (e.g., the center of a harmonically trapped gas). A striking consequence of this is that the boson velocity deviates from a rigid-body form exhibiting a radial-shear flow, and, as a result, there is no reference frame in which the vortex lattice is at rest with respect to the superfluid.Keywords
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