SHEAR-WAVES IN A SUPERCOOLED LIQUID

The decay of transverse current correlation functions in a supercooled liquid is studied by taking into account the mode coupling effects du e to dominant density fluctuations. At higher densities the large mode coupling contributions due to cooperative dynamics can sustain propag ating shear waves in the liquid. The crossover from a diffusive to osc illatory behavior of the shear mode is analyzed. We compute the speed of the shear wave in the liquid phase as well as the ideal glassy phas e described in the self consistent mode coupling theory. The qualitati ve behavior is in agreement with the computer simulation results and e xperiments. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.