Nonlinear quantum hydrodynamics in ultracold Bose and Fermi gases

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This experimental research program investigates quantum hydrodynamics in a deeply nonlinear regime. The proposed experiments build on the recent rapid advances in laser cooling, atom trapping and atom manipulation to study quantum shockwaves in dilute bosonic and fermionic gases, including Bose-Einstein condensates, degenerate Fermi gases, and Bose-Fermi mixtures. These systems will serve as a prototypical, nearly ideal tool to conduct quantum shock experiments. Quantum shocks are governed by dispersion rather than by dissipation and thus differ significantly from classical shocks. They display rich dynamics, including topologically interesting soliton train formation, multiphase behavior and vacuum points. The planned experiments will be of broad interest; related dispersive shocks exist for example in the solar wind and in nonlinear optical media. The experiments will provide students with a great opportunity to gain significant research experience. The diversity of the involved experimental techniques - including lasers and optics, ultrahigh vacuum, electronics, automation programming - provides an ideal training ground for the students. Parts of the technologies developed for the experiments will also be made available to in-class science education, and will be adapted for use in a senior level undergraduate lab class.