Electronic edition ISSN 1574-0579

On elastic properties of stripe structures of a magnetic fluid

A. Cebers

Institute of Physics, Latvian University, Salaspils-1, LV-2169, Latvia

Abstract
Using the results of analysis of magnetostatic field energy of a periodical stripe structure of magnetic fluid it has been shown that the effective surface tension of the stripes is exactly zero. Elastic energy of the curvature has been calculated, and the dependence of bend elasticity constant on relative volume content of magnetic fluid in the gap has been determined. Analogy between behaviour of magnetic fluid stripe structures and that of smectic liquid crystals has been pointed out, and undulatory 1nstability developing at increase of magnetic field intensity has been described. Figs. 2, refs 15.