Thermal Global Expansion Coefficient Measurement for a Harmonic Trapped Gas Across Bose-Einstein Condensation

Abstract

We report the measurement of the global thermal expansion coefficient of a confined Bose gas of $^{87}\rm Rb$ in a harmonic potential around the Bose-Einstein condensation transition temperature. We use the concept of global thermodynamic variables, previously introduced and appropriated for a non-homogeneous system. We observe the behavior of the thermal expansion coefficient above and below the critical temperature showing the lambda-like shape present in superfluid helium. The study demonstrates the potentiality of global thermodynamic variables for the investigation of properties across the critical temperature and a new way to study the thermodynamic properties of the quantum systems.