Superradiant scattering from a hydrodynamic vortex

Abstract

We show that sound waves scattered from a hydrodynamic vortex may be amplified. Such superradiant scattering follows from the physical analogy between spinning black holes and hydrodynamic vortices. However a sonic horizon analogous to the black hole event horizon does not exist unless the vortex possesses a central drain, which is challenging to produce experimentally. In the astrophysical domain, superradiance can occur even in the absence of an event horizon: we show that in the hydrodynamic analogue, a drain is not required and a vortex scatters sound superradiantly. Possible experimental realization in dilute gas Bose-Einstein condensates is discussed.