electroconvection in a smectic film without applied shear
A smectic liquid crystal forms a thin film, like a soap bubble. Here, we have such a film in an annular holder about 1 cm across. The variation in color comes from thickness variations. A voltage is applied between the inner and outer edge. The convection eventually produces a series of counter-rotating vortices whose speed increases as the voltage is increased.
Movie by Peter Kruse. Video by Stephen Morris.
See www.physics.utoronto.ca/nonlinear/papers_smectic.html
electroconvection in a smectic film without applied shear
A smectic liquid crystal forms a thin film, like a soap bubble. Here, we have such a film in an annular holder about 1 cm across. The variation in color comes from thickness variations. A voltage is applied between the inner and outer edge. The convection eventually produces a series of counter-rotating vortices whose speed increases as the voltage is increased.
Movie by Peter Kruse. Video by Stephen Morris.
See www.physics.utoronto.ca/nonlinear/papers_smectic.html