Dissipation and ordering in capillary waves at high aspect ratios

Abstract

We present an experimental study of high-aspect-ratio Faraday waves. We have measured the dispersion relation and the damping rate, together with the critical amplitude for the primary instability for a wide range of frequencies. We find that our results are well explained by the linear theory, if damping from the moving contact line is considered in addition to the bulk damping. Just above the primary instability a seemingly disordered stationary state is observed. We argue that this state is a superposition of normal modes. Approximately 5% above the primary instability this state breaks down in favour of a quasi-crystalline state. This result is discussed, partly in the light of the recent third-order nonlinear theory.