Atomic theory of liquid helium near absolute zero

Abstract

The properties of liquid helium at very low temperatures (below 0.5°K) are discussed from the atomic point of view. It is argued that the lowest states are compressional waves (phonons). Long-range motions which leave density unaltered (stirrings) are impossible for Bose statistics since they simply permute the atoms. Motions on an atomic scale are possible, but require a minimum energy of excitation. Therefore at low temperature the specific heat varies as T3 and the flow resistance of the fluid is small. The arguments are entirely qualitative—no calculation of the energy of excitation nor of the low-temperature viscosity is given. In an appendix an expression, previously given, for the partition function is modified to include the effects of phonons.

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