The nucleation of vorticity by ions in superfluid 4 He I. Basic theory

Abstract

A theory is developed of vortex nucleation by an ion moving in superfluid helium at a low temperature. It is shown that production of a vortex loop attached to the side of the ion becomes energetically possible when the velocity of the ion exceeds a critical value, but that nucleation is impeded by the presence of a small potential barrier. The predicted critical velocity is close to that observed experimentally, at least at high pressure. Nucleation of an encircling vortex ring, considered some years ago by Schwarz & Jang (Phys.Rev. A8,3199 (1973)), probably becomes possible only at a higher velocity, and it is impeded by a large potential barrier. It is shown that for vortex loops the potential barrier can probably be overcome at a rate consistent with experiment either by quantum tunnelling at the lowest temperatures or thermally, by absorption of a single roton, at higher temperatures. Possible explanations of the recent observation by Bowley et al . {Phil. Trans. R. Soc. Lond. A307, 201 (1982)) that at high pressure the rate of vortex nucleation falls off at very high velocities are discussed.