Energy and Temperature of Superfluid Turbulent Vortex Tangles

Abstract

We consider three aspects of turbulent vortex tangles in superfluids. First, we outline some contributions to the Vinen’s equation for the time evolution of the vortex line density, related to the presence of pinned vortices incorporating the effects of the walls. Afterwards, we analyze some aspects of the energy balance of the vortex tangle, related to frictional dissipation and to vortex formation and destruction. Finally, we explore the concept of an effective temperature for the vortex tangle, related to the average energy of the vortex loops and to the diffusion coefficient of vortex lines. The combination of these ideas suggests some formal similarities with other kinds of driven nonequilibrium systems characterized by several different temperatures.