Ultrasonic Propagation Near the Magnetic Critical Point of Nickel

Abstract
Measurements of the attenuation and velocity of megahertz longitudinal-acoustic waves have been made near the magnetic critical point of nickel. The temperatures of the attenuation maxima and velocity minima occur below TC and are frequency dependent. These phenomena, which have not been observed previously in a magnetic system, show striking similarities to the behavior of first sound near the λ point of liquid helium.