On the hydrodynamics of a superfluid with a three-particle “condensate”

Abstract

Since 1974 there have been serious experimental and also theoretical pointers to the possibility that no Bose condensation occurs in superfluid He⁴. Evans presented a theoretical argument against a condesate, suggesting a “pairing” model of superfluid helium. As yet, experiment connot decide if the concept of a one-particle condensate can be replaced by the idea of a two-particle condensate. March and Galasiewicz have argued that, if there is no one-particle condensate in He⁴, a ground state wave function cannot be built from a product of pairs but must fundamentally include three-particle correlations at least. So the idea of a three (not two) particle condensate seems worth some attention. It is demonstrated here that assuming a three-particle condensate we can regain from microscopic theory the Landau hydrodynamic equation for the superfluid velocity.