Periodic structure of spicular magnetic clusters in a magnetic liquid.

The behavior of clusters formed by magnetic particles of magnetic liquid placed into a cylindrical capillary tube in magnetic field is described. Spicular clusters are formed from the sediment at the application of a magnetic field. They arrange themselves along the capillary repeating the direction of external magnetic field. Clusters distribute uniformly in the region of a magnetic field maximum. Such a state remains steady with respect to changes of the magnetic field gradient profile in definite limits. The structure of the uniformly ordered clusters is obtained experimentally. The capability of control of the structure period is shown. It is observed that increasing of magnetic field gradient up to the magnitude higher than a certain threshold value results in rearrangement of the clusters row into a multi-row hexagonal structure.