Ripples and Fireworks in Bose-Einstein Condensates

By manipulating interactions between ultracold atoms, physicists aim to better understand how the behavior of quantum particles leads to exotic phenomena such as topological states and quantum phase transitions. In 2017, researchers observed that a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) in an oscillating magnetic field emits jets that resemble fireworks. Now, Han Fu of the University of Chicago and colleagues have discovered that prior to the formation of the fireworks, distinctive ripples from interfering matter waves form in the condensate.