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Anharmonic mixing in a magnetic trap

R. Gommers, B. J. Claessens, C. J. Hawthorn, H. C. W. Beijerinck, E. J. D. Vredenbregt

physics.atom-pharXiv:physics/0501033

Abstract

We have experimentally observed re-equilibration of a magnetically trapped cloud of metastable neon atoms after it was put in a non-equilibrium state. Using numerical simulations we show that anharmonic mixing, equilibration due to the collisionless dynamics of atoms in a magnetic trap, is the dominant process in this equilibration. We determine the dependence of its time on trap parameters and atom temperature. Furthermore we observe in the simulations a resonant energy exchange between the radial and axial trap dimensions at a ratio of trap frequencies ωr / ωz = 3/2. This resonance is explained by a simple oscillator model.

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