title: Suppressing the Rayleigh-Taylor instability with a rotating magnetic field.
abstract: The Rayleigh-Taylor instability of a magnetic fluid superimposed on a nonmagnetic liquid of lower density may be suppressed with the help of a spatially homogeneous magnetic field rotating in the plane of the undisturbed interface. Starting from the complete set of Navier-Stokes equations for both liquids a Floquet analysis is performed which consistently takes into account the viscosities of the fluids. Using experimentally relevant values of the parameters we suggest to use this stabilization mechanism to provide controlled initial conditions for an experimental investigation of the Rayleigh-Taylor instability.
authors.affiliation: Intitut für Physik, Universität Oldenburg, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany. rannacher@theorie.physik.uni-oldenburg.de
authors.forename: Dirk
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rannacher
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Engel