Dynamical formation and interaction of bright solitary waves and solitons in the collapse of Bose–Einstein condensates with attractive interactions

Abstract

We model the dynamics of formation of multiple, long-lived, bright solitary waves (BSWs) in the collapse of Bose–Einstein condensates with attractive interactions as studied in the experiment of Cornish et al (2006 Phys. Rev. Lett. 96 170401). We use both mean-field and approximate quantum field simulation techniques. While a number of separated wave packets form as observed in the experiment, they do not have a repulsive π phase difference as has been previously inferred. We observe that the inclusion of quantum fluctuations causes soliton dynamics to be predominantly repulsive in one-dimensional (1D) simulations independent of their initial relative phase. However, indicative 3D simulations do not show a similar effect. In contrast, in 3D quantum noise has a negative impact on BSW lifetimes. Finally, we show that condensate oscillations, after the collapse, may serve to deduce three-body recombination rates.