Mass of a Spin Vortex in a Bose-Einstein Condensate

In contrast with charge vortices, spin vortices in a two-dimensional ferromagnetic condensate move inertially (if the condensate has zero magnetization along an axis). The Magnus force, which prevents the inertial motion of the charge vortices, cancels for spin vortices, because they are composed of two oppositely rotating vortices. The inertial mass of spin vortices varies inversely with the strength of spin-dependent interactions and directly with the width of the condensate layer, and can be measured as a part of experiments on how spin vortices orbit one another. For Rb-87 in a 1 mu m thick trap, m(v)similar to 10(-21) kg.