NEW MEASUREMENT OF THE SUPERFLUID HE-4 SURFACE-TENSION BY CAPILLARY WAVE RESONANCES

Measurement of the resonance frequencies of micrometric capillary wave s generated by interdigital plane capacitors permits high accuracy det ermination of the surface tension of superfluid He-4. The value at 0K: sigma = 375 +/- 3 mu Jm(-2) is close to the original static capillary rise determination but is 6% higher than the more recent results on c apillary-gravity waves in a box. Analysis of the extra hydrodynamic ma ss arising from the meniscus on the edge of the box shows that this ef fect could account for the discrepancy.