Nonlinear dynamics of a ferrofluid pendulum.

A ferrofluid torsion pendulum in an oscillating magnetic field exhibits a rich variety of nonlinear self-oscillatory regimes. The dynamics is governed by the system of coupled differential equations for the in- and off-axis components of the fluid magnetization and the pendulum angular deflection. In the limiting case of high driving frequency, the system reduces to the sole Rayleigh-type equation. Much more complicated temporal patterns arise when the field frequency and the pendulum eigen frequency are of the same order.