Three-dimensional stability of leapfrogging quantum vortex rings

Abstract

It is shown by numerical simulations within a regularized Biot-Savart law that dynamical systems of two or three leapfrogging coaxial quantum vortex rings having a core width $\xi$ and initially placed near a torus of radii $R_0$ and $r_0$, can be three-dimensionally (quasi-)stable in some regions of parameters $\Lambda=\ln(R_0/\xi)$ and $W=r_0/R_0$. At fixed $\Lambda$, stable bands on $W$ are intervals between non-overlapping main parametric resonances for different (integer) azimuthal wave numbers $m$. The stable intervals are most wide ($\Delta W\sim$ 0.01--0.05) between $m$-pairs $(1,2)$ and $(2,3)$ at $\Lambda\approx$ 4--12 thus corresponding to micro/mesoscopic sizes of vortex rings in the case of superfluid $^4$He. With four and more rings, at least for $W>0.1$, resonances overlap for all $\Lambda$ and no stable domains exist.