APhO 2017 Theory 1 Solution
APhO 2017 Theory 1 Solution
APhO 2017 Theory 1 Solution
MODB
2017-05-03
Introduction
Superfluidity is a property of flowing without friction. Everyday experience
tells us that motion of an ordinary fluid (say, water at room temperature) is
always accompanied by viscous dissipation of energy, so that the flow gradually
becomes slower unless it is maintained by external forces. In contrast, superfluid
exhibits no loss of kinetic energy: once excited the motion of superfluid can
continue indefinitely. Superfluidity was originally discovered experimentally in
liquid helium.
We study properties of superfluid helium at zero temperature. It will be
treated as an incompressible fluid with density . Flow continuity (the fact that
the mass flowing into and the mass flowing out of a given infinitesimal volume
are equal) implies that the flux of helium velocity ~v through a closed surface is
always zero. Superfluid velocity in this aspect is similar to the magnetic field
intensity. Similarly to the magnetic field lines, streamlines are tangential to
the fluid velocity at each point and their density is proportional to its magnitude.
True superflow has an important property of being irrotational: circulation
of superfluid velocity ~v along any closed path within helium is zero
Z
~v d~l = 0.
L
1
and zero if the path can be contracted to a single point without crossing the
vortex, see Fig. 1. This supports the analogy between superflow and magnetic
field: superposition of two valid velocity distributions is a valid velocity distri-
bution and the velocity at any point is equal (up to a dimensional factor) to the
magnetic field produced by the unit currents running through a system of wires
representing vortex filaments.
A1 (0.25)
Plot the streamlines. Find out the velocity v at a point ~r.
2
Figure 2: Straight vortex along the axis of a beaker.
A2 (0.5)
Work out the free surface shape (height as a function of coordinate z(~r)) around
the vortex. Free fall acceleration is g, surface tension can be neglected.
3
Consider a thin circular layer of the radius r. Equilibrium condition for
its surface is given by the requirement
dz v2 2
g = = 3. (2)
dr r r
This equation is satisfied by the surface profile
2
z(r) = . (3)
2gr2
k2
tan = gr 3 or equivalent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.25
2
k
z = 2gr 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.25
B1 (0.25)
Consider two identical straight vortices initially placed at distance r0 from each
other as shown in Fig. 4. Find initial velocities of the vortices and draw their
trajectories.
2 This is a consequence of momentum conservation, see next section.
4
Figure 4: Parallel vortex filaments with equal circulations
B2 (0.15)
Draw the trajectories of vortices A, B, and C (located in the center).
5
Figure 5: Triangular lattice of vortices in a beaker. The view from above.
B3 (0.4)
Find velocity v(~r) of a vortex positioned at ~r.
r2
2rv = 2 . (4)
u2 3/2
6
B4 (0.2)
Find the distance AB(t) between the vortices A and B at time t. Treat AB(0)
as given.
B5 (0.25)
Work out the smoothed out (omitting the lattice structure) free helium surface
shape z(~r).
2 r2 4 2 2 r2
z(r) = = . (7)
2g 6gu4
Correct answer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.25
7
a flow generated by a circular vortex loop placed in xy plane. It is obvious from
the symmetry considerations, that total momentum has only z component:
Z Z Z Z
P = vz dV = vz dz dxdy (9)
| {z }
q(x,y)
is piecewise constant. Particularly, it is zero for paths passing outside the ring
and 2 for paths inside it. Total momentum is therefore
P = R2 2 = 2 2 R2 . (10)
Figure 6: Velocity field of a circular vortex loop and integration paths (green)
for q(x, y) calculation.
C1 (0.3)
Consider a nearly rectangular vortex loop b d, b d, Fig. 7.
Indicate the direction of its momentum P~ . Find out the momentum magni-
tude.
8
Figure 7: A nearly rectangular vortex loop, b d
C2 (0.7)
Calculate its energy U .
9
C3 (0.75)
Suppose we shift a long straight vortex filament by a distance b in x direction, see
Fig. 8. How much does the fluid momentum change? Indicate the momentum
change direction. The filament length (constrained by the vessel walls) is d.
Figure 8: Momentum changes whenever the vortex shifts with respect to the
fluid.
22 d
F = 2dv = 2d = . (13)
r r
The work
b
22 d
Z
b
W = dr = 22 d log (14)
a r a
has to be performed to move it from distance a to b.
10
D. Trapped charges (2.5)
Electrons, if injected in helium, get trapped by the vortex filaments. Here and
below polarizability of helium can be neglected ( = 1).
D1 (0.5)
11
Figure 10: Vortex ring in a uniform electric field.
D2 (0.25)
Draw the trajectory of the loop center C.
D3 (1.5)
Find its velocity v(t) as a function of time.
12
Electric force upon the loop F = 2ER0 is constant and fluid momen-
tum linearly depends on time
P = P0 + 2ER0 t = 2 2 R2 . (16)
The loop velocity v can be easily found from a relationship between the
energy change rate and the momentum change rate
dU dP
= Fv = v. (18)
dt dt
This gives for the velocity
R2 +ER t/()
dU R log 0
a
0
log Ra0
v= log = p 2 p 2 .
dP 2R a 2 R0 + ER0 t/() 2 R0 + ER0 t/()
(19)
This means that the vortex is moving in the direction of the force but
its velocity is decreasing.
D4 (0.25)
The field is switched off at a time t when the velocity reaches the value v =
v(t ). Find the loop velocity v(t) at a later time t > t .
13
velocity component vanishes at the wall surface.
E1 (0.5)
Draw the trajectory of a straight vortex, initially placed at a distance h0 from
a flat wall. Find its velocity as a function of time.
14
Consider a straight vortex placed in a corner at a distance h0 from both
walls.
E2 (0.75)
What is the initial velocity v0 of the vortex?
E3 (0.5)
Draw the trajectory of the vortex.
15
Image vor-
tices in the corner.
The trajectory has correct form and asymptote . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.5
E4 (1.0)
What is the velocity of the vortex v after very long time?
x2 + y 2 2
C= = 2 (22)
x2 y 2 h0
is constant along the trajectory. After very long time y h0 / 2 and
the vortex velocity is
v = . (23)
h0 2
Correct expression for velocity after very long time . . . . . . . . . . . 1.0
F1 (0.5)
Draw the trajectory of a straight vortex initially placed at a distance h0 to a
dielectric wall with charge density < 0. Find its velocity as a function of time.
16
Figure 13: Straight vortex near a charged wall
The vortex
velocity in electric field E = /(20 ) is summed up with the fluid velocity
generated by the image vortex
v= (24)
2h0 40
and parallel to the wall. Its direction depends on the competition of the
two terms above.
Trajectory is plotted correctly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.25
F2 (0.5)
Draw the trajectory of a straight vortex initially placed at a distance h0 to a
conducting wall. Find its velocity as a function of time.
17
Figure 14: Straight vortex near a conducting wall
The conduct-
ing wall produces electric field identical to the field of an image filament
with opposite charge density E = /(40 h0 ). The velocity is then
2
v= + . (25)
8 2 0 h0 2h0
Trajectory is plotted correctly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.25
Correct expression for velocity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.25
18