Abstract
A linear stability analysis of the free surface of a horizontally unbounded ferrofluid layer of
arbitrary depth subjected to vertical vibrations and a horizontal magnetic field is performed.
A nonmonotonic dependence of the stability threshold on the magnetic field is found at high
frequencies of the vibrations. The reasons of the decrease of the critical acceleration amplitude
caused by a horizontal magnetic field are discussed. It is revealed that the magnetic field can
be used to select the first unstable pattern of Faraday waves. In particular, a rhombic pattern
as a superposition of two different oblique rolls can occur. A scaling law is presented which maps
all data into one graph for the tested range of viscosities, frequencies, magnetic fields and layer
thicknesses.
Download:
faraday.pdf (PDF format, 173 k)
List of publications