Acoustic Modes and Momentum Relaxation in 2D Atomic Hydrogen on Helium Surface

Seeking for manifestations of superfluidity in 2D spin-aligned atomic hydrogen (H↓) adsorbed on the surface of liquid helium at T∼0.1 K we consider possible acoustic modes in this 2D Bose gas depending on frequency and on characteristic times of energy and momentum transfer. At high frequencies, the analogues of ordinary and second sound are realized in 2D H↓. At low frequencies, the 2D analogue of the fourth sound is realized: the normal component of hydrogen and ripplons are immobile and only the superfluid component of hydrogen participates the oscillations. We also estimate the rate of momentum relaxation between superfluid hydrogen and ripplons, τHR−1∝T13/3. The most promising for observing the superfluidity in 2DH↓ is the fourth sound, which could be excited, e.g., by ESR.