ON AN ANALOG OF THE AHARONOV-BOHM EFFECT IN SUPERFLUID-HELIUM

We propose a hydrodynamic analog of the Aharonov-Bohm experiment in wh ich second-sound waves are scattered on a quantized vortex in superflu id helium. The time lag that develops between the two sides of a secon d-sound plane wave impinging on a vortex from the side would be compar ed. Estimates for these experiments show that for reasonable experimen tal conditions the wavefront splitting can be readily measured at redu ced temperatures of 10(-6). The advantages of doing this experiment ne ar the superfluid transition is discussed. This experiment would compl iment the three other Aharanov-Bohm-type experiments which involve all four possible combinations of classical/quantum waves and classical/q uantum vortices. This technique would provide a non-invasive means of investigating the dynamics of quantum vortex nucleation and their stab ility as well as addressing the problem of multiply quantized.