Bose-Einstein Condensation (BEC) in outerspace?

Posted by DocN on July 21, 2002 at 09:13:03:

In Reply to: String evolution from BEC bosons to fermions? posted by DocN on July 20, 2002 at 14:46:55:

"According to quantum mechanics atoms have wave-like properties and a corresponding deBroglie wavelength. Recent laser trapping and cooling experiments have succeeded in slowing atoms to such small velocity spreads that their wavelength corresponds to the average interparticle separation. If the atom behaves like a boson, the wavefunction of all the atoms in the condensate collapse into a macroscopic quantum state consisting of a superposition of identical wavefunctions. This 'fifth' state of matter has coherence properties similar to laser light which can also be considered as a condensate of particles called photons. Lasers have been discovered in stellar atmospheres, hence there are naturally occurring BECs in outer space!" See--

http://home.achilles.net/~jtalbot/glossary/BEC.html

Doc

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