Enigmatic Circles in the Fabric of Existence: Physicists Catch Initial Glimpse of ‘Alice Rings’

A collaboration between researchers in the US and Finland has recently observed the formation of strange loops in a super cold gas, which are known as ‘Alice rings’ due to their circular structures. These loops provide physicists with an opportunity to study a unique form of one-sided magnetism.

The researchers have been studying distortions in quantum fields called topological monopoles, which are the isolated equivalent of a pole on a magnet. Unlike regular magnets, monopoles can theoretically arise in the quantum machinery that generates various forces and particles. While one version of the monopole remains purely hypothetical, monopoles can emerge in other settings as well.

The swirling of quantum fields can create their own style of one-sided magnetism, resulting in short-lived anomalies that briefly stand out before disappearing once again. Physicist Mikko Möttönen, a member of the Monopole Collaboration from Aalto University in Finland, is well-versed in the various whirlpools, strings, and tangles that can arise in the fabric of quantum reality.

In 2015, Möttönen and his colleagues achieved a significant milestone by successfully observing a topological monopole in isolation for the first time. This groundbreaking experiment was conducted using a Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), an ultra-cold state of rubidium atoms. Möttönen proudly stated that their team is the sole group to have created topological monopoles in quantum fields. Following this achievement, they dedicated time to studying quantum knots and skyrmions before delving into a detailed analysis of the behavior of the topological monopole immediately after its creation.

Surprisingly, less than two years after their initial observation, the researchers made an unexpected discovery – monopoles could undergo decay and transform into other types of structures. In their latest investigation, they witnessed a topological monopole melting into something entirely different. This transformation led to the formation of structures known as Alice strings, which are closely associated with monopoles. Alice strings twist into one-sided magnetic poles when they form loops, and these loops are referred to as Alice rings.

While typical monopoles have a short lifespan of a few thousandths of a second, Alice rings exhibit remarkable longevity, lasting for more than 80 milliseconds – a duration approximately 20 times longer.

According to physicist David Hall from Amherst College in the US, the Alice ring appears to be a monopole when viewed from a distance. However, when looking through the center of the ring, the world takes on a different shape. Similar to Alice’s looking glass, passing through the peculiar magnetic loop in a BEC’s quantum field can completely change everything. Other monopoles that pass through the ring become reversed and transform into mirror-versions, causing the ring to flip into its opposite form.

Although the team has not yet observed this inversion experimentally, the formation of the ring during the decay of a topological monopole is a significant step forward.

In terms of practical applications, we can only speculate on the possibilities of this discovery. However, as we continue to gain knowledge about the unstable nature of quantum fields, we may be able to better understand and map their complexities, leading us to deeper truths about reality.

Möttönen emphasizes the fundamental importance of creating Alice rings, stating that it is a significant achievement.

“It casts light and inspiration to the search of the deepest constituents of the Universe, matter, and information.”

This article is republished from sciencealert under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.