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Some Mechanisms of “Spontaneous” Polarization of Superfluid He-4

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Abstract

Previously, a quantum “tidal” mechanism of polarization of the atoms of He-II was proposed, according to which, as a result of interatomic interaction, each atom of He-II acquires small fluctuating dipole and multipole moments, oriented chaotically on the average. In this work, we show that, in the presence of a temperature or density gradient in He-II, the originally chaotically oriented tidal dipole moments of the atoms become partially ordered, which results in volume polarization of He-II. It is found that the gravitational field of the Earth induces electric induction Δφ∼10−7 V in He-II (for vessel dimensions of the order of 10 cm). We study also the connection of polarization and acceleration, and discuss a possible nature of the electric signal Δφ≈k B ΔT/2e observed by A.S. Rybalko in experiments with second sound.

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  1. Bogoliubov Institute for Theoretical Physics of the NAS of Ukraine, 14b, Metrolohichna Str., Kyiv, 03143, Ukraine

    Maksim D. Tomchenko

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  1. Maksim D. Tomchenko
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Correspondence to Maksim D. Tomchenko.

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Tomchenko, M.D. Some Mechanisms of “Spontaneous” Polarization of Superfluid He-4. J Low Temp Phys 158, 854–866 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-009-0057-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10909-009-0057-y

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