We study expansion of quasi-one-dimensional (1D) Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) after switching off the confining harmonic potential. Exact solution of dynamical equations is obtained in the framework of the hydrodynamic approximation and it is compared with the direct numerical simulation of the full problem, showing excellent agreement at realistic values of physical parameters. We analyze the maximum of the current density and estimate the velocity of expansion. The results of the 1D analysis provides also qualitative understanding of some properties of BEC expansion observed in experiments.

• Received 5 February 2003

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.68.035603