Title: Persistent Currents in Ferromagnetic Condensates,
Abstract: Persistent currents in Bose condensates with a scalar order parameter are
stabilized by the topology of the order parameter manifold. In condensates with
multicomponent order parameters it is topologically possible for supercurrents
to `unwind' without leaving the manifold. We study the energetics of this
process in the case of ferromagnetic condensates using a long wavelength energy
functional that includes both the superfluid and spin stiffnesses. Exploiting
analogies to an elastic rod and rigid body motion, we show that the current
carrying state in a 1D ring geometry transitions between a spin helix in the
energy minima and a soliton-like configuration at the maxima. The relevance to
recent experiments in ultracold atoms is briefly discussed.