Updated Ferrofluid Cell Pictures

[sirzerp]

Hi Y'all,

My name is Michael Snyder and I'm a PhD student at the University of Louisville.

You may have seen my work on the 2012 APS calendar.

A few years ago I posted some ferrofluid cell physics images in this forum.

The cell is made of two pieces of glass and some ferrofluid between the glass. LED's are placed around the perimeter of the cell.

http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/unapqa

Here is one of my newest images. It is not a horseshoe magnet, instead is half of a ring magnet (magnetized thought its thickness).

The black area is all the same pole (north) and has two fold symmetry where a full ring magnet would have four fold symmetry.

http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/6vj0er

Would you believe that after five years of study, we still don't know how it works?

Each line or ring has its own polarization, which we can track back to the source LED.

We think each line is a refection, but we can't explain why the electrons of the fe304 molecules happen to be in those areas, producing the observed lines and rings of scatter...

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,

Michael

 

[AndyW]

Snyder

Hi Michael,

First of all, congratulations on your work being featured in the APS calendar! That's quite an achievement. As a fellow scientist, I can understand the frustration of not being able to fully explain a phenomenon despite years of study. However, I believe that this is a common occurrence in the field of science and it only shows that there is still so much we have yet to discover and understand.

From the images you have shared, it seems like the ferrofluid cell is exhibiting some interesting and complex behavior. The fact that each line or ring has its own polarization is definitely intriguing. Have you tried conducting experiments with different types of ferrofluids or varying the strength of the magnetic field? It would also be interesting to see if the same patterns and polarization occur in a different environment, such as in a vacuum.

As for the source of the observed lines and rings, have you considered the possibility of surface tension playing a role? It could be that the ferrofluid is aligning itself along the surface tension gradients, resulting in the observed patterns. Additionally, the shape and orientation of the LED lights could also be affecting the polarization of the ferrofluid.

I'm sure you have already explored these possibilities, but I hope they can spark some new ideas for your research. Keep up the great work and don't get discouraged by the unknown. Science is all about asking questions and seeking answers. Best of luck in your continued studies!