Experimental evidence of intermittency in a random shock-wave regime

We report the experimental observation of the dynamical and statistical properties of a wave field dominated by random shock waves on the surface of a fluid. By using a magnetic fluid (ferrofluid) within a high external magnetic field, we successfully achieved an experimentally nearly nondispersive surface-wave field [1]. Conversely to theoretical Burgers shock waves, the shock-wave fronts are not fully vertical, but drive the dynamics [1]. We also experimentally evidence, for the first time, that this field dominated by random shock waves generates intense small-scale intermittency [2]. The statistical properties of this intermittency are then found to be in good agreement with a Burgerslike intermittency model, modified to take account of the finite steepness of the experimental shock waves [2].

[1] G. Ricard and E. Falcon, Transition from wave turbulence to acousticlike shock wave regime, Phys. Rev. Fluids 8, 014804 (2023)

[2] G. Ricard and E. Falcon, Experimental evidence of random shock-wave intermittency, Submitted to Phys. Rev. E (Letters) (2023)