Pitaevskii

Pitaevskii is a mathematical constant that is used to describe the properties of Bose-Einstein condensates. It is named after Soviet physicist Lev Pitaevskii, who made significant contributions to the study of Bose-Einstein condensates and their application in physics.

In 1973, Pitaevskii and his colleague Evgeny Lifshitz published a paper that described the behavior of Bose-Einstein condensates in terms of a new constant, which later came to be known as the Pitaevskii constant. This constant is a dimensionless quantity that is used to describe the strength of the interactions between particles in a Bose-Einstein condensate.

The Pitaevskii constant is used to calculate the temperature at which a Bose-Einstein condensate forms, as well as the density of the condensate. It is a key parameter in the study of BECs and has been used to explain many of their observed properties.

In 2003, Pitaevskii was awarded the Wolf Prize in Physics, in recognition of his contributions to the study of Bose-Einstein condensates. He has also written several books and papers on the subject, and has remained a prominent figure in the field of condensed matter physics.

Today, the Pitaevskii constant is widely recognized as an important concept in the study of BECs, and is used by researchers around the world to explore the properties of these exotic states of matter. Its discovery by Pitaevskii and his colleagues has greatly expanded our understanding of the behavior of particles at the quantum level.