Dark soliton decay due to trap anharmonicity in atomic Bose-Einstein condensates

N. G. Parker, N. P. Proukakis, and C. S. Adams
Phys. Rev. A 81, 033606 – Published 12 March 2010

Abstract

A number of recent experiments with nearly pure atomic Bose-Einstein condensates have confirmed the predicted dark soliton oscillations when under harmonic trapping. However, a dark soliton propagating in an inhomogeneous condensate has also been predicted to be unstable to the emission of sound waves. Although harmonic trapping supports an equilibrium between the coexisting soliton and sound, we show that the ensuing dynamics are sensitive to trap anharmonicities. Such anharmonicities can break the soliton-sound equilibrium and lead to the net decay of the soliton on a considerably shorter time scale than other dissipation mechanisms. Thus, we propose that small realistic modifications to existing experimental setups could enable the experimental observation of this decay channel.

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  • Received 26 June 2009

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.81.033606

©2010 American Physical Society

Authors & Affiliations

N. G. Parker1,2,3, N. P. Proukakis1,4, and C. S. Adams1

  • 1Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, United Kingdom
  • 2Department of Physics and Astronomy, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4M1, Canada
  • 3School of Food Science and Nutrition, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom
  • 4School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom

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Issue

Vol. 81, Iss. 3 — March 2010

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