Nonlinear resonances in δ-kicked Bose-Einstein Condensates

We investigate the Quantum Resonance (QR) regime of a periodically kicked atomic Bose-Einstein condensate. We find that the clearest indicator of the nonlinear dynamics is a surprisingly abrupt cut-off which appears on the main "Talbot time" QR. We show that this is due and excitation path combining both Beliaev and Landau processes, with some analogies to nonlinear self-trapping. Investigation of dynamical instability reveals further symptoms of nonlinearity such as a regime of exponential oscillations.