Finite-temperature correlations and density profiles of an inhomogeneous interacting one-dimensional Bose gas

Abstract

We calculate the density profiles and density correlation functions of the one-dimensional Bose gas in a harmonic trap, using the exact finite-temperature solutions for the uniform case, and applying a local density approximation. The results are valid for a trapping potential which is slowly varying relative to a correlation length. They allow a direct experimental test of the transition from the weak coupling Gross-Pitaevskii regime to the strong coupling, 'fermionic' Tonks-Girardeau regime. We also calculate the average two-particle correlation which characterizes the bulk properties of the sample, and find that it can be well approximated by the value of the local pair correlation in the trap center.