Pressure Drag in Linear and Nonlinear Quantum Fluids

Abstract

We study the flow of a weakly interacting Bose-Einstein condensate around an obstacle by numerical solution of the Gross-Pitaevskii equation. We observe vortex emission and the formation of bow waves leading to pressure drag. We compare the drag law with that of an ideal Bose gas, and show that interactions reduce the drag force. This reduction can be explained in terms of a ``collisional screening'' of the obstacle.