"Lattices, disorder and quasi-particles in Faraday waves: understanding fluid particle motion in surface waves" by Prof. Michael Shats

Date :      February 18^th , 2016 (Thu)
Time:      2:00pm – 3:00pm
Venue:    C015 (Lab1, Level C)
Speaker:  Professor Michael Shats
                  Head, Centre for Plasmas and Fluids
                  Research School of Physics and Engineering
                 The Australian National University

Title:  Lattices, disorder and quasi-particles in Faraday waves: understanding fluid particle motion in surface waves

Abstract:
Waves in vertically oscillating containers are known for centuries, yet they continue to reveal rich phenomenology with analogies spanning across broad range of topics in physics. In this talk I will review recent experimental work on Faraday waves. In particular, three-dimensional trajectories of fluid particles at the liquid-air interface are analyzed, as well as the role of nano-scale films of proteins and surfactants on the particle motion. Pattern formation in Faraday waves is studied from the point of view of ensembles of quasi-particles, or oscillons. Such an approach offers new insights into the formation of the Faraday lattices and their disordering.