Abstract
The Lancaster experiments [C. A. M. Castelijns, K. F. Coates, A. M. Guenault, S. G. Mussett, and G. R. Pickett Phys. Rev. Lett. 56, 69 (1986)] with a cylindrical wire moving in superfluid 3He-B are discussed, where the measured critical velocity of pair creation was much below the Landau critical velocity. The phenomenon is shown to be analogous to the instability of the electron-positron vacuum in an adiabatically alternating strong electric potential of both signs, where the positive-and negative-root levels cross and thus the instability threshold is half the conventional value in a single static potential well.
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Zh. Éksp. Teor. Fiz. 115, 70–79 (January 1999)
Published in English in the original Russian journal. Reproduced here with stylistic changes by the Translation Editor.
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Calogeracos, A., Volovik, G.E. Critical velocity in 3He-B vibrating wire experiments as analog of vacuum instability in a slowly oscillating electric field. J. Exp. Theor. Phys. 88, 40–45 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1134/1.558761
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/1.558761