Interaction between small particles and quantum vortex lines in superfluid He II thermal counterflow
Phys. Rev. Fluids 11, 074602 – Published 13 July, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/5ghr-j1wc
Abstract
Analyzing particle-vortex interactions in quantum turbulence is essential to interpreting the results from particle-laden experiments and revealing characteristics of thermal counterflow dynamics of superfluid He II. In this experimental investigation, the trapping and de-trapping of particles on quantum vortex lines were extracted from two-dimensional Lagrangian particle trajectories, and their processes were analyzed using particle kinetic energy. Comparison between trapping and de-trapping processes reveals that the two processes are governed by distinct physical mechanisms, with de-trapping associated with a greater loss of particle kinetic energy than trapping. In addition, time-lag-invariant patterns in ensemble averages of particle kinetic energy and kinetic energy increment suggest that these processes may exhibit self-similar features across short time lags.
