Shape transformations in rotating ferrofluid drops

Abstract

Floating drops of magnetic fluid can be brought into rotation by applying a rotating magnetic field. We report theoretical and experimental results on the transition from a spheroid equilibrium shape to non-axissymmetrical three-axes ellipsoids at certain values of the external field strength. The transitions are continuous for small values of the magnetic susceptibility and show hysteresis for larger ones. In the non-axissymmetric shape the rotational motion of the drop consists of a vortical flow inside the drop combined with a slow rotation of the shape. Nonlinear magnetization laws are crucial to obtain quantitative agreement between theory and experiment.