Dispersion Relation of a Ferrofluid Layer of Any Thickness and Viscosity in a Normal Magnetic Field; Asymptotic Regimes

We have calculated the general dispersion relationship for surface waves on a ferrofluid layer of any thickness and viscosity, under the influence of a uniform vertical magnetic field. The amplification of these waves can induce an instability called peaks instability (Rosensweig instability). The expression of the dispersion relationship requires that the critical magnetic field and the critical wavenumber of the instability depend on the thickness of the ferrofluid layer. The dispersion relationship has been simplified into four asymptotic regimes: thick or thin layer and viscous or inertial behaviour. The corresponding critical values are presented. We show that a typical parameter of the ferrofluid enables one to know in which regime, viscous or inertial, the ferrofluid will be near the onset of instability.Comment: 21 pages, 6 eps figures, Latex, to be published in Journal de Physique I

Data file from the experiments presented in the article 'Molecular rotors in Hb and BSA proteins'

This file includes data from all experiments presented in the article ' Molecular rotors in Hb and BSA proteins'. The article presents the response of the DASPI molecular rotor in Hb and BSA proteins</p

Data from: Coping with the climate: cuticular hydrocarbon acclimation of ants under constant and fluctuating conditions

Terrestrial arthropods achieve waterproofing by a layer of cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs). At the same time, CHCs also serve as communication signals. To maintain waterproofing under different climate conditions, insects adjust the chemical composition of their CHC layer, but this may affect the communication via CHC. The detailed acclimatory changes of CHCs and how these influence their physical properties are still unknown. Here, we studied acclimation in two closely related ant species with distinct CHC profiles, Myrmica rubra and Myrmica ruginodis, in response to constant or fluctuating temperature and humidity regimes. We measured how acclimation affected CHC composition and viscosity, and the ants’ drought survival. In both species, CHC composition showed strong, predictable responses to temperature regimes. Warm-acclimated individuals had higher proportions of linear alkanes, and less methyl-branched or unsaturated CHCs. These changes coincided with higher solid content and viscosity of CHCs in warm-acclimated ants. Temperature fluctuation caused effects similar to constant-cool conditions in M. rubra, but led to entirely different profiles in M. ruginodis, suggesting that fluctuating and constant conditions pose very different challenges. Acclimation to dry conditions led to higher absolute amounts of CHCs, which increased the ants’ drought survival, whereas temperature acclimation did not. Hence, the temperature-induced CHC changes cannot be explained by the need for waterproofing alone. While these changes could be non-adaptive, we propose that they serve to maintain a constant CHC viscosity, which may be essential for communication and other functions