The self-gravitating Bose-Einstein condensate

Citation
Krw. Jones et D. Bernstein, The self-gravitating Bose-Einstein condensate, CLASS QUANT, 18(8), 2001, pp. 1513-1533
Citations number
42
Language
INGLESE
art.tipo
Article
Categorie Soggetti
Physics
Journal title
CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM GRAVITY
ISSN journal
0264-9381 → ACNP
Volume
18
Issue
8
Year of publication
2001
Pages
1513 - 1533
Database
ISI
SICI code
0264-9381(20010421)18:8<1513:TSBC>2.0.ZU;2-S
Abstract
We study the characteristics of Bose-Einstein condensates formed by the act ion of three different potentials: Newtonian self-gravity, hard-sphere repu lsion (the Gross-Pittaevski potential), and a harmonic trap potential as us ed in laboratory experiments. We show that in a certain regime a condensate can form which is much larger than predicted by the quantum self-gravitati onal ground state radius. Furthermore, the size is independent of the numbe r of particles in the condensate. We speculate that massive objects of this type may form in extreme isolation through gravitational accretion onto a fixed-size object. We propose that these be called deep-space quantum objec ts, or DSQOs (discos). Analytical Hartree-Fock solutions for the DSQO groun d state are obtained, along with a formula for the Limiting DSQO radius and energy. These are then compared with numerical calculations. Prospects for DSQO formation are briefly discussed with emphasis on possible cooling mec hanisms and the dynamic stability of structures formed by accretion.