title: Hexagons become the secondary pattern if symmetry is broken.
abstract: Pattern formation on the free surface of a magnetic fluid subjected to a magnetic field is investigated experimentally. By tilting the magnetic field, the symmetry can be broken in a controllable manner. When increasing the amplitude of the tilted field, the flat surface gives way to liquid ridges. A further increase results in a hysteretic transition to a pattern of stretched hexagons. The instabilities are detected by means of a linear array of magnetic Hall sensors and compared with theoretical predictions.
authors.affiliation: Physikalisches Institut, Experimentalphysik V, Universität Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth, Germany.
authors.forename: Bert
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Reimann
authors.forename: Reinhard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: Holger
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Knieling
authors.forename: Rene
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Friedrichs
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Rehberg