Coexistence of Quantum and Classical Flows in Quantum Turbulence in the T=0 Limit

Abstract

Tangles of a quantized vortex line of initial density L(0)∼6×103 cm-2 and a variable amplitude of fluctuations of flow velocity U(0) at the largest length scale are generated in superfluid He4 at T=0.17 K, and their free decay L(t) is measured. If U(0) is small, the excess random component of the vortex line length first decays as Lt-1 until it becomes comparable with the structured component responsible for the classical velocity field, and the decay changes to Lt-3/2. The latter regime always ultimately prevails, provided the classical description of U holds. A quantitative model of coexisting cascades of quantum and classical energies describes all regimes of the decay.