Abstract

The physical basis of the theory being used to describe Bose-Einstei.n condensed gases will be described. The simplest and indeed most successful approach uses mean field theories of the phenomena. In the case: of the lowest temperatures reached, this theory reduces to the study of the Gross-Pi taevskii nonlinear Schrö-dinger equation. Ï will describe the extensions of mean field theory to finite temperatures and show how dynamics and damping can be included. 1 will address the links to superfluidity and lime-evolving order parameters in general.

© 1997 Optical Society of America