New Simulations Show Quantum Turbulence Forms Via Kibble-Zurek Mechanism

Researchers have, through numerical simulations, begun to unravel the origins of spontaneous quantum turbulence, revealing a connection to a well-established principle governing phase transitions. Seong-Ho Shinn, among others, modeled the formation of a Bose-Einstein condensate in two spatial dimensions, observing the proliferation of quantum vortices, tiny, swirling defects, as the condensate formed via a thermal quench. The researchers propose that the Kibble-Zurek mechanism (KZM) drives this spontaneous turbulence, suggesting a fundamental link between seemingly disparate areas of physics. The vortex count at equilibration time versus quench time demonstrates the Kibble-Zurek power-law scaling, establishing the nonequilibrium universality of SQT through the Kibble-Zurek and Kolmogorov scaling…