Observation of ultra-slow shock waves in a tunable magnetic lattice

TL;DR

This study demonstrates the creation and observation of ultra-slow shock waves in a tunable magnetic lattice, providing insights into shock dynamics at the molecular scale and challenging continuum assumptions.

Contribution

It introduces a novel experimental magnetic lattice system that magnifies shock wave evolution at observable scales, enabling direct study of shock formation and properties.

Findings

Strong shocks are fully captured in the experiment

Lack of steady state indicates absence of local thermodynamic equilibrium

Questions arise about the validity of continuum assumptions with strong shocks

Abstract

The combination of fast propagation speeds and highly localized nature has hindered the direct observation of the evolution of shock waves at the molecular scale. To address this limitation, an experimental system is designed by tuning a one-dimensional magnetic lattice to evolve benign wave forms into shock waves at observable spatial and temporal scales, thus serving as a 'magnifying glass' to illuminate shock processes. An accompanying analysis confirms that the formation of strong shocks is fully captured. The exhibited lack of a steady state induced by indefinite expansion of a disordered transition zone points to the absence of local thermodynamic equilibrium, and resurfaces lingering questions on the validity of continuum assumptions in presence of strong shocks.