Research Description
Wei Guo aims to develop state-of-the-art experimental facilities using liquid helium to tackle long-standing challenging problems in both quantum and classical turbulence research areas. Two separate projects will be carried out. In the first one, the research team will levitate a large drop of superfluid helium and evaporatively cool it to a deep superfluid state. By doping the drop with tracer particles, they hope to visualize the dynamics of quantized vortices in a wall-free superfluid environment. In the second project, they will build a liquid helium tunnel to study high Reynolds number turbulent flows across magnetically levitated model objects. Advanced molecular tagging velocimetry technique will be utilized to measure the flow field around the levitated objects to produce clean data that will aid our understanding of turbulent drag.
Research Impact
Imaging the vortex motion in a wall-free superfluid helium drop will elucidate how turbulence decays in a quantum fluid with zero viscosity. This information may help scientists to better understand the behaviors of various quantum fluids, ranging from atomic Bose-Einstein condensates to neutron stars. By combining the high Reynolds number helium flow, levitation of superconducting model objects, and advanced flow visualization, experimental data of tremendous practical significance will be produced, which may aid the design of airplanes and submarines for better control and improved energy efficiency.
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related links
Experimental Physics Investigators Initiative
Science
Florida State University Research Foundation
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