Biggest Bosenova: Milligram Range Feasible?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers on the feasibility of creating a bosenova in the milligram range, exploring the technical limits and current observations related to Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) and their behavior under specific conditions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express curiosity about the maximum size of a bosenova and whether achieving a milligram range is technically feasible.
  • One participant explains that a bosenova is induced by changing the magnetic field in a BEC, leading to a collapse and rebound effect.
  • Another participant suggests that there may not be an upper limit to the size of a bosenova, aside from technical difficulties, implying that it could scale with the size of the BEC.
  • Contrarily, a participant argues that current BECs can only reach 10^8 to 10^9 atoms and doubts that this number can significantly increase, citing the metastable nature of BECs at low temperatures.
  • There is a mention of the largest observed bosenova size being in the range of 10^6 to 10^7 atoms, but no consensus on the exact size or interest in creating larger bosenovas.
  • One participant expresses a personal interest in bosenovas, despite another suggesting they are not scientifically interesting.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the feasibility of achieving a milligram range for bosenovas. There are competing views on the technical limits and scientific interest in larger bosenovas.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention limitations related to the metastable state of BECs and the conditions required for bosenova formation, but do not resolve these issues.

stefanbanev
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I'm curious what the biggest size of Bosenova technically feasible. Is it possible to get into milligrams range?
Thx...
 
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While I don't know the answer to your questions, others might wonder what a bosenova is:

A bosenova or bose supernova is a very small, supernova-like explosion, which can be induced in a Bose–Einstein condensate(BEC) by changing the magnetic field in which the BEC (Bose-Einstein Condensate) is located so that the BEC quantum wavefunction's "self-scattering" interaction due to the Feshbach resonance transitions from repulsive to attractive, causing the BEC to "collapse and bounce" or "rebound."[1]

Although the total energy of the explosion is very small, the "collapse and bounce" scenario superficially and quite vaguely resembles (albeit is physically quite unrelated to) a tiny core-collapse supernova, hence the term 'bosenova'. (The nomenclature is also partly a play on the Brazilian music style, bossa nova.)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosenova
 
>"others might wonder what a bosenova is:"

It was the reason I posted this question to "Quantum Physics" but it was moved to "General Physics". Any question related to BEC apparently belongs to "Quantum Physics".. anyway thx...
 
I don't see any reason there would be some upper limit, apart from technical difficulties. It simply corresponds to changing the collisional properties of the atoms in a BEC through a Feshbach resonance, so it could in principle be as big as any BEC can be.
 
DrClaude said:
I don't see any reason there would be some upper limit, apart from technical difficulties. It simply corresponds to changing the collisional properties of the atoms in a BEC through a Feshbach resonance, so it could in principle be as big as any BEC can be.

Thanks for the answer ... does it mean that in your opinion to get into milligrams range is technically feasible? My question was not about if it is possible in principle; my question is - if it is technically feasible... What the biggest size Bosenova has been observed in the laboratory so far? Pls provide the link to the source... Thx...
 
Last edited:
stefanbanev said:
Thanks for the answer ... does it mean that in your opinion to get into milligrams range is technically feasible?
No. I think that current BECs can reach 108 to 109 atoms, and I don't think that this number can be increased that much in the near future. You have to remember that BEC represents a metastable state: at the low temperatures reached, these atoms should form a solid block, so the gases are quite dilute.

stefanbanev said:
What the biggest size Bosenova has been observed in the laboratory so far? Pls provide the link to the source... Thx...
I don't know what hoe big is the biggest, but probably in the 106-107 range. Scientifically, bosenovas are not that interesting, and I don't think anyone is trying to make large ones.
 
DrClaude said:
No. I think that current BECs can reach 108 to 109 atoms, and I don't think that this number can be increased that much in the near future. You have to remember that BEC represents a metastable state: at the low temperatures reached, these atoms should form a solid block, so the gases are quite dilute.I don't know what hoe big is the biggest, but probably in the 106-107 range. Scientifically, bosenovas are not that interesting, and I don't think anyone is trying to make large ones.

Thanks for your answer...

>"Scientifically, bosenovas are not that interesting..."

From what I read about bosenova, there are still some unanswered intriguing observations... anyway, probably because I do not claim to be a scientist it is interesting for me... ;o)

Thx...
 

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