Observation of Relaxation Stages in a Nonequilibrium Closed Quantum System: Decaying Turbulence in a Trapped Superfluid
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The dynamics of nonequilibrium closed quantum systems and their route to thermalization are of fundamental interest to several fields, from cosmology to particle physics. However, a comprehensive description of nonequilibrium phenomena still presents a significant challenge. In this work, we report the observation of distinct stages during the relaxation of the decaying turbulence in trapped Bose-Einstein condensates. Our findings show a direct particle cascade from low to high momenta, a consequence of the energy injection in the system, exhibiting a characteristic universal scaling. This stage is followed by an inverse particle cascade responsible for repopulating the previously depleted condensate. Both cascades can be explained through self-similar solutions provided by wave turbulence theory. These findings provide important insights into the relaxation stages of out-of-equilibrium quantum many-body systems.
Source: Physical Review Letters
Language: English
Subfield: Atomic and Molecular Physics, and Optics
Field: Physics and Astronomy
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
Awards: G1063147063, G1349999890, G1455833180, G1699781585, G1824539381, G2823776494, G3325776965, G3436831421, G3572101131, G402038981, G4773289129, G478116939, G4961812538, G5045443197, G5081325772, National Institute in Basic Optics and Applied to Life Sciences, G5752159476, G6191138830, G6502004700, Superfluid vortex turbulence on a curved surface, G7539200513, G794827384, G8655191351, CEPOF - Optics and Photonic Research Center, G940006492
OpenAlex ID: W4401008584