Onset of superfluidity far from equilibrium: dynamical effects on the correlation length

Nonlinear heat conduction has recently been measured near the superfluid transition in pure ⁴He at very low heat flux Q. Since both dynamic effects and gravity limit the divergence of the superfluid correlation length near the transition at low-Q, these measurements must be repeated in the microgravity environment in order to observe the dynamic effects in isolation. Comparison of the microgravity data to similar data obtained on Earth will provide experimental insight into the effect of gravity on this nonlinear conduction region at low heat flux where theoretical predictions are lacking. While some measurement advantages exist in the microgravity laboratory, it is the study of the direct effect of gravity on the nonlinear conduction measurements that motivate the microgravity need.