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Abstract: In cosmological evolution, it is the homogeneous scalar field (inflaton) that drives the universe to expand isotropically and to generate standard model particles. However, to simulate cosmology, atomic gas research has focused on the dynamics of Bose-Einstein condensates (BEC) with continuously applied forces. In this talk I argue that a complementary approach needs also to be pursued by considering the analog BEC experiments in a nondriven and naturally closed atomic system. By using a BEC in an optical lattice which, after a quench, freely transitions from an unstable to a stable state, this dynamical evolution displays the counterpart “preheating,” “reheating,” and “thermalization” phases of cosmology. Importantly, our studies of these analog processes yield tractable analytic models. The dynamical processes discussed here are generic and in future cold atom re-equilibration experiments it will be important to observe both the preheating stage, corresponding to a fragmented condensate, and the reheating stage, corresponding to a particle cloud.

Hosted by Professor Rufus Boyack

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https://dartmouth.zoom.us/j/91597901421?pwd=eWZBU1RoRWNoaFpXQXV2Q0R6UC9rQT09

Meeting ID: 915 9790 1421

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