We investigate how Bose-Einstein condensates, whose initial state is either irrotational or contains a single vortex, scatter off a one-dimensional Gaussian tunnel barrier. We find that for low atom densities the vortex structure within the condensate is maintained during scattering, whereas at medium and high densities, multiple additional vortices can be created by the scattering process, resulting in complex dynamics and disruption of the atom cloud. This disruption originates from two different mechanisms associated, respectively, with the initial rotation of the atom cloud and the interference between the incident and reflected matter waves.

• Received 2 October 2006

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.75.065602