Nicolas Pavloff (LPTMS)
Description
Topological Pathways to Two-Dimensional Quantum Turbulence
I shall present a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the formation and decay kinetics of vortices in a two-dimensional turbulent superfluid. Fundamental topological conservation laws require that the formation and annihilation of vortices also involve critical points of the velocity field, namely nodes and saddles. Identifying the simplest bifurcations underlying these processes enables to develop an effective kinetic model that closely aligns with experimental observations, and shows that different mechanisms are responsible for vortex number growth and decay.