Seeing patterns in atomic jets

Abstract

Atomic Physics\nAtomic interactions in a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) can lead to complex collective behavior. Experimentally, these interactions are often tuned by varying an external magnetic field. Feng et al. modulated the interaction among cesium atoms in a BEC. The collisions between atoms exposed to the modulated field sent the atoms flying out of the condensate in jets of seemingly random directions. A pattern-recognition technique revealed that certain directions were associated with particularly large numbers of scattered atoms. The pattern of the scattering maxima could be attributed to secondary collisions.\n\nScience , this issue p. [521][1]\n\n [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aat5008