Semiclassical dynamics of quasi-one-dimensional, attractive Bose-Einstein condensates

The strongly interacting regime for attractive Bose-Einstein condensates (BECs) tightly confined in an extended cylindrical trap is studied. For appropriately prepared, non-collapsing BECs, the ensuing dynamics are found to be governed by the one-dimensional focusing Nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLS) in the semiclassical (small dispersion) regime. In spite of the modulational instability of this regime, some mathematically rigorous results on the strong asymptotics of the semiclassical limiting solutions were obtained recently. Using these results, “implosion-like” and “explosion-like” events are predicted whereby an initial hump focuses into a sharp spike which then expands into rapid oscillations. Seemingly related behavior has been observed in three-dimensional experiments and models, where a BEC with a sufficient number of atoms undergoes collapse. The dynamical regimes studied here, however, are not predicted to undergo collapse. Instead, distinct, ordered structures, appearing after the “implosion”, yield interesting new observables that may be experimentally accessible.