NONLINEAR PATTERN-FORMATION OF FARADAY WAVES

A cascade of surface wave patterns with increasing rotational symmetry ranging from simple square to tenfold quasiperiodic is observed for F araday waves. The experiment concerns the excitation of subharmonic st anding surface waves by oscillating vertical acceleration. Our observa tion agrees with the prediction of a recent theory. By presenting thes e predictions in a dimensionless form, we illustrate the genericity of this phenomenon and emphasize the very favorable agreement with exper iment.