Anomalous Trajectories of H2 Solid Particles Observed Near a Sphere Oscillating in Superfluid Turbulent 4He

Abstract

Using a relatively low cost apparatus, consisting of a glass dewar and a digital camera capable of taking images at 240 frames per second we have observed trajectories of frozen H2 particles which follow the flow of liquid helium below 2 K, around a sphere oscillating at 38 Hz. In some of the images the motion is compatible with laminar flow, while at high amplitudes, where we can reach Reynolds numbers of a few thousand in the normal component, the flow is clearly turbulent. In some of the videos taken we find particles being suddenly accelerated to several times the velocity of the oscillating sphere.