Observation of negative-frequency waves in a water tank: a classical analogue to the Hawking effect?

doi:10.1088/1367-2630/10/5/053015

Observation of negative-frequency waves in a water tank: a classical analogue to the Hawking effect?

Germain Rousseaux et al 2008 New J. Phys. 10 053015 (12pp) doi: 10.1088/1367-2630/10/5/053015

PDF (978 KB) | HTML | References | Articles citing this article

Germain Rousseaux^1,2, Christian Mathis², Philippe Maïssa², Thomas G Philbin^3,4 and Ulf Leonhardt^3,5
¹ ACRI, Laboratoire Génimar, 260 route du Pin Montard, BP 234, 06904 Sophia-Antipolis Cedex, France
² Université de Nice-Sophia Antipolis, Laboratoire J-A Dieudonné, UMR CNRS-UNSA 6621, Parc Valrose, 06108 Nice Cedex 02, France
³ School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews KY16 9SS, Scotland, UK
⁴ Max Planck Research Group of Optics, Information and Photonics, Günther-Scharowsky-Strasse 1, Bau 24, D-91058 Erlangen, Germany
⁵ Author to whom any correspondence should be addressed.
E-mail: ulf@st-andrews.ac.uk

Abstract. The conversion of positive-frequency waves into negative-frequency waves at the event horizon is the mechanism at the heart of the Hawking radiation of black holes. In black-hole analogues, horizons are formed for waves propagating in a medium against the current when and where the flow exceeds the wave velocity. We report on the first direct observation of negative-frequency waves converted from positive-frequency waves in a moving medium. The measured degree of mode conversion is significantly higher than that expected from the theory.

Received 24 December 2007
Published 13 May 2008

Post to CiteUlike |

Post to Connotea |

Post to Bibsonomy

Observation of negative-frequency waves in a water tank: a classical analogue to the Hawking effect?

Find related articles

Article options

Authors & Referees