Abstract
In this paper we study a gaseous Bose-Einstein condensate and show the following: (i) A minimum value of the interaction is needed for the existence of stable persistent currents. (ii) Vorticity is not a fundamental invariant of the system, as there exists a conservative mechanism which can destroy a vortex and change its sign. (iii) This mechanism is suppressed by strong interactions.
- Received 4 April 2001
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.140403
©2001 American Physical Society