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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Lester, A., Morrison, N., Novotny, F., Schmoranzer, D., Peatáin, S. Ó, Zavjalov, V., Tsepelin, V., Kafanov, S.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.06498
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Table of Contents:
  • Turbulence in inviscid quantum fluids offers unparalleled access to the universal principles of non-equilibrium dynamics, spanning a vast range of length scales from macroscopic flow down to the individual vortex core. In the zero-temperature limit, the microscopic mechanism by which the turbulent energy cascade terminates in the absence of viscosity remains a foundational challenge in quantum hydrodynamics. While prevailing theoretical descriptions prioritize phonon emission, they fail to account for the strong interatomic correlations that give rise to the roton minimum in superfluid $^4\mathrm{He}$. Here, we report the direct observation of roton emission from a single quantized vortex using a high-quality-factor nanomechanical resonator at 10 mK. We identify a sharp onset of dissipation at a critical velocity, and measure the energy loss per cycle, which corresponds quantitatively to the roton gap energy. Our findings address the long-standing mystery of zero-temperature energy relaxation by establishing roton emission as the primary dissipation channel in strongly correlated quantum liquids.