We study the rotation of a ${}^{87}\mathrm{R}\mathrm{b}$ Bose-Einstein condensate confined in a quadratic plus quartic potential. This trap configuration allows one to increase the rotation frequency of the gas above the trap frequency. In such a fast rotation regime we observe a dramatic change in the appearance of the quantum gas. The vortices which were easily detectable for a slower rotation become much less visible, and their surface density is well below the value expected for this rotation frequency domain. We discuss some possible tracks to account for this effect.

• Received 18 July 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.92.050403