Experimental evidence of Kelvin wave turbulence along a vortex core

Abstract

Wave turbulence is a regime of interacting nonlinear waves occurring in most physical systems. Kelvin waves are helical distortions that propagate along vortex filaments and are believed to play a central role in quantum turbulence up to atmospheric vortices. Yet, Kelvin wave turbulence has remained inaccessible to direct experimental observation. Here, we report the first direct experimental observation of Kelvin-wave turbulence along a single vortex filament in a classical fluid under controlled conditions. Using high-resolution spatiotemporal measurements, we resolve Kelvin-wave dynamics over a broad range of scales and obtain wave-amplitude spectra consistent with the predicted weak-turbulence cascade. We identify six-wave resonant interactions as the mechanism driving this energy transfer, providing direct experimental support for a long-standing prediction of weak-turbulence theory. These results establish an experimental platform for investigating energy transport along vortex filaments, with broader implications for both classical and quantum turbulent systems.