Abstract
We study the heat conduction of a cold, thermal cloud in a highly asymmetric trap. The cloud is axially
hydrodynamic, but due to the asymmetric trap radially collisionless. By locally heating the cloud we
excite a thermal dipole mode and measure its oscillation frequency and damping rate. We find an
unexpectedly large heat conduction compared to the homogeneous case. The enhanced heat conduction in
this regime is partially caused by atoms with a high angular momentum spiraling in trajectories around the
core of the cloud. Since atoms in these trajectories are almost collisionless they strongly contribute to the
heat transfer.We observe a second, oscillating hydrodynamic mode, which we identify as a standing wave
sound mode.
Original language | Undefined/Unknown |
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Pages (from-to) | 095301/1-095301/4 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Physical Review Letters |
Volume | 103 |
Issue number | 9 |
Publication status | Published - 2009 |