Dynamics of Fine Particles Due to Quantized Vortices on the Surface of Superfluid He-4

Abstract

We have conducted calculations of the coupled dynamics of quantized vortices and fine metallic particles trapped at a free surface of superfluid 4He. The computational result so far indicates that a particle-vortex complex may produce quasi-periodic motions along the surface and that the motions can be enhanced if the metallic particles are heated and induce local radial flows. Our results qualitatively reproduce recent experimental observations of trapped particle motion.