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Center for Nonlinear Studies |
We study the hydrodynamics of a strongly interacting, ultracold atomic Fermi gas near the superfluid phase transition. Specifically, we focus on the formation of shockwaves caused by splitting and colliding a cigar-shaped atomic sample. Separation of the sample is accomplished with a digital micro-mirror device (DMD), which can be used to generate arbitrary shaped potentials. The shockwaves, characterized by sharp, nearly discontinuous edges, are well modeled by the Navier-Stokes equation with the presence of shear viscosity. We study properties of the shockwave versus temperature in the superfluid and normal fluid phases. Additionally, we discuss future experiments aimed at measuring the kinetic coefficients of a strongly interacting Fermi gas.
Host: Malcolm Boshier (P-21)