Ferrofluid dynamics, magnetic relaxation, and irreversible thermodynamics

The dynamics of ferrofluids is discussed on the basis of Maxwell's equations and the balance equations for mass, momentum, angular momentum, and energy. It is shown that the requirement of irreversible thermodynamics that the local rate of entropy production be positive definite allows equations of motion, and a corresponding magnetic relaxation equation, characterized by three convective parameters. (C) 2010 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3430726]