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Updated: May 21, 2026

Magnetically Induced Rotating Rayleigh-Taylor Instability
Published on: March 3, 2017
Instability in magnetic materials with a dynamical axion field
Hirosi Ooguri1, Masaki Oshikawa
1California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, USA.
Axion electrodynamics shows instability with electric fields. This instability screens electric fields and converts energy into magnetic fields, potentially observable in magnetic materials.
Area of Science:
- Theoretical physics
- Condensed matter physics
- Quantum field theory
Background:
- Axion electrodynamics is known to exhibit instabilities when subjected to background electric fields.
- Understanding these instabilities is crucial for exploring novel electromagnetic phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the consequences of axion electrodynamics instability in the presence of electric fields.
- To elucidate the mechanism of electric field screening and energy conversion.
- To explore potential experimental realizations of this phenomenon.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical analysis of axion electrodynamics.
- Investigating the behavior of electric and magnetic fields under instability conditions.
- Exploring the role of magnetic fluctuations in magnetic materials.
Main Results:
- The instability leads to complete screening of applied electric fields above a critical value.
- Excess energy from the screening effect is converted into a magnetic field.
- Magnetic fluctuations in magnetic materials can mimic the behavior of a dynamical axion field.
Conclusions:
- The screening effect in axion electrodynamics has a clear physical origin.
- Experimental realization is possible in magnetic materials, utilizing magnetic fluctuations as a dynamical axion field.
- This research opens avenues for exploring axion-like phenomena in condensed matter systems.
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