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UBC Researchers Uncover New Insights on Vortex Physics

9/11/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) studied superfluid helium to better understand the Schwinger effect, which describes electron-positron pair creation in strong electric fields.
By using superfluid helium, they observed vortex pairs instead of electron-positron pairs.
Their findings, published in PNAS, provide insights into superfluid physics and two-dimensional phase transitions.
The study revealed that vortex mass varies, impacting the understanding of vortices and quantum tunneling.
This research could also revise aspects of Schwinger’s theory on electron-positron pairs.

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Story summary

Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) studied superfluid helium to better understand the Schwinger effect, which describes electron-positron pair creation in strong electric fields.
By using superfluid helium, they observed vortex pairs instead of electron-positron pairs.
Their findings, published in PNAS, provide insights into superfluid physics and two-dimensional phase transitions.
The study revealed that vortex mass varies, impacting the understanding of vortices and quantum tunneling.
This research could also revise aspects of Schwinger’s theory on electron-positron pairs.