Bose Condensates in TOP Traps Exhibit Circulating Superfluid Flows

Abstract

For spin one atoms localized in a quadrapole magnetic field gradient, the atoms may be impeded from spin flipping their way out from the center of the trap by the application of a rotating uniform magnetic field. From a quantum mechanical viewpoint, such a trap for a Bose condensate is equivalent to having a superfluid in a rotating bucket. Vorticity is then expected to be induced in the condensate fluid flow without the application of any further external perturbations.