Dynamics of a massive superfluid vortex in $r^k$ confining potentials

Abstract

We study a superfluid vortex in condensate a trapped in a two-dimensional power-law potential ∝ r k . The vortex acquires a mass due to the presence of a condensate b of distinguishable atoms located in its core. The axisymmetry allows us to reduce the coupled dynamical equations of motion to a single radial equation with an effective potential V eff . In many cases, V eff has a single minimum, where the vortex precesses uniformly. A positive vortex with small mass orbits in the positive direction, but the sense of precession can reverse as the core mass increases.