Chain-induced effects in the Faraday instability on ferrofluids in a horizontal magnetic field

Abstract

The linear stability analysis of the Faraday instability on a viscous ferrofluid in a horizontal magnetic field is performed. Strong dipole-dipole interactions lead to the formation of chains elongated in the field direction. The formation of chains results in a qualitative new behaviour of the ferrofluid. This new behaviour is characterized by a neutral stability curve similar to that observed earlier for Maxwell viscoelastic liquids and causes a significant weakening of the energy dissipation at high frequencies. In the case of a ferrofluid with chains in a horizontal magnetic field, the effective viscosity is anisotropic and depends on the field strength as well as on the wave frequency.