IMAGING AND ANALYSIS OF HYDRODYNAMIC QUANTUM ANALOGS

Hydrodynamic quantum analogs consist of a small droplet of viscous fluid that is self-propelled across an oscillating bath of the same fluid. Continuous vertical bouncing, and walking horizontal motion, of the droplet can be achieved with careful control over the frequency and amplitude of oscillation. With each rebound, the droplet receives transverse kicks in its motion dependent on the waves of its previous bounces. With variations in bath geometries and subsurface structures, the droplet can be manipulated in a probabilistic way to induce fascinating behavior. Over short timescales, a droplet will exhibit seemingly random trajectories. However, when the droplet is observed over long timescales, statistical patterns of the droplet's position begin to emerge. The patterns this system maps out over long timescales demonstrate a compelling macroscopic analog to Louis de Broglie's double-solution theory of quantum mechanics. We present the results from various pilot-wave hydrodynamic analog experiments, analysis of which has provided valuable insight into the analogy between a bouncing macroscopic oil droplet and the quantum behavior of microscopic particles.