Critical spin transport in Bose gases

Abstract

We consider spin transport in a two-component atomic Bose gas in three dimensions, at temperatures just above the critical temperature for Bose-Einstein condensation. In these systems the spin conductivity is determined by spin drag, i.e., frictional drag between the two spin components due to interactions. We find that in the critical region the temperature dependence of the spin conductivity deviates qualitatively from the Boltzmann result and is fully determined by the critical exponents of the phase transition. We discuss the size of the critical region where these results may be observed experimentally.